Coffee, cats and cigarettes
by alidaversa
Summary: I don't know how I made it out, and sometimes a little part of me wishes I hadn't. But that all went down the drain the moment that stupid ass redneck came trudging from the trees, dead squirrels over his shoulder with a crossbow aimed straight at my face. (DARYLXOC)
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

When you're born, people will already try to define you. They will tell you that you're a girl, a boy, sometimes both, and you have a certain color of hair and are a certain height and weight. When you're older they will tell you how to dress and how to act, what toys to play with and what words little girls should not say.

It's a load of crap.

People can say what they want, but at the end of the day, it's you who decides the type of person you are supposed to be. Boys are not just boys; they have feelings and can cry and fall in love with other boys. Girls are not just girls, they can lift the same amount of weights or cut their hair short without being a lesbian. And if they are lesbians, I bet you a hundred dollars that being a lesbian is not the reason as to why they cut their hair short.

Course, no one gives two shits about any of this stuff, especially in the zombie apocalypse.

To me though, these things matter. It's important to let people know who you are, because I think it's beyond stupid to be defined by people's perceptions of me. I am not a little girl in a dark scary world who does not know what to do, at least not anymore. At least when I didn't know what to do I owned up to that, I learned. People change, but others don't like change. I didn't like change either, but once the world came to an end, you either adapt or survive.

I am a survivor.

My name is Ariel. Ya, like the little mermaid. My mother was obsessed with Disney, that happened to be her favorite princess. I was teased when I was in grade school about that, being a half Spanish and half Italian girl, I came out with dark skin, blue eyes and dark hair, and as a child a little on the heavy side, I of course, looked nothing like the little mermaid.

I got suspended a few times for getting into fights. My dad was a kickboxing champion. Of course, kickboxing doesn't do much good against people in the apocalypse. My mother went not too long after. Even though she loved me, I don't think she wanted to live in a world where my father didn't exist.

I don't know how I made it out, and sometimes a little part of me wishes I hadn't. But that all went down the drain the moment that stupid ass redneck came trudging from the trees, dead squirrels over his shoulder with a crossbow aimed straight at my face.


	2. Chapter 1

_**you guys will tell that I am following the seasons because I want to ride out this story as long as possible; so you will recognize a lot, but trust me I will also be CHANGING a lot of things. I hope you all enjoy, and please review:D**_

_**i do not own the characters, besides Ariel, nor the story. **_

_**NOTE: THERE IS A SLIGHT MENTION OF SELF HARM THAT PARTICULAR MOMENT WILL START AND END WITH ****_

* * *

**Chapter 1 −**

Ariel's eyes were level with the hunter who had her up against the tree, his blue eyes matching hers but with a lot less friendliness in them. His crossbow was pointed straight at her, his lips in a hard, fine line. She had her hands up which she regretted doing immediately, because to reach down for her knives it would be painfully obvious. He would shoot her right between the eyes if he had the chance.

"I ain't gonna ask you again." he snarled. "What's your name lil' girl."

Ariel snorted. "I'm not a little girl, I'm barely younger than you."

"You followin' me?"

"You wouldn't make a very good U.S government official you know, not with you jumping from question to question without waiting for a response."

"How bout I kill you right now then and be done with it."

"I think if you had wanted to kill me, you would have already."

He stared at her, this man with the blue eyes, and Ariel held his gaze. He was good looking, in his own, weird, dirty way. His hair was probably dark brown but the Georgia sun had colored it blonde. He was also probably much better looking when he smiled, but Ariel also could not picture this man with a smile. It looked like it would break his face. Regardless, he was good looking all the same. He was toned and lean, and Ariel could wonder how that could be, when she was too slim for her own good, barely surviving on the little food that she was able to find.

"What's your name?" he asked again, growled more like.

"Ariel." she answered. "Ariel Donitello, and yes I was following you."

He pushed the crossbow forward, it was almost touching her forehead. "Why?"

"Because you kept catching squirrels and tracking that deer like it was the easiest thing in the world. I was trying to see how you were hunting." she said honestly. She did however leave out the part where she hoped she could just try to steal from him, she did not think that it would have helped her in his situation.

His eyes shifted down to her knives and he snorted. "Ain't gonna do much with those things. Not with squirrels anyway. Lot faster than you are." his sentences came out short and in hard grunts, as though she was not worth the breath or time that he spent on her. He put his crossbow down and his eyes swept over her once more, seeing whether or not she was a threat. She could be, if he didn't have a weapon handy, she thought.

"You can always teach me to hunt, I wouldn't have to follow you."

"I don't even know you." he snapped rudely. "Get on your way, I got work to do."

"Oh come on," she followed him through the woods, skipping behind him like a child. "Are you really going to leave a girl all by herself in the forest."

"If you've been alone this long, sure you're doing just fine." he replied smartly.

He was partially right, because Ariel knew how to get around the woods. She was slowly learning how to catch food and where to sleep, but she could only do so much. Working with one other person would let her sleep a little easier at night too.

"What's your name?" she asked him, stepping sideways around him to avoid the line of squirrels.

"Ain't none of your damn business." he snapped. "Go away, I could be some crazy guy."

She shrugged. "I could be some crazy girl."

"You're annoying."

Ariel smiled. "It's the one thing I have left of myself in this crazy new world."

"Ain't that a shame."

"Come on, just tell me your name. I told you mine."

"I had you at gun point."

"Crossbow point, _actually_."

The man glared at her. "If I tell you, will you leave me be?"

"Sure," she lied easily. Ariel had been praying to every god that had ever existed to find someone who would tolerate her enough to have her stay with them. Leading a life alone in a world like this, well, her mother died, and she was not so sure she could hold out too much longer. Not alone anyway.

"Daryl Dixon." he muttered, with no pride to it as if the name shamed him. "Now, go away."

"But I−"

A scream rang out through the forest, Ariel jumping up and Daryl immediately raising his crossbow. Ariel could not quite make out the sounds but when Daryl seemed to understand what was happening, he moved forward in that direction, but lowering his crossbow when he heard loud grunts and what sounded like weapons clashing. Ariel thought that was all the more reason to have her weapons out but this man clearly knew what he was doing.

So she followed.

"Thought you were gonna leave me be." he growled.

"I like doing exactly what people want me not to do."

"You're a real smart mouth, you know that?" he snapped, stepping on broken branches, coming out of the forest into a small clearing. Ariel followed and was surprised to see a number of people that regarded Daryl with looks of acknowledgement and also, a little fear.

An old man who looked like he would not have been out of place on a tropical island said, "Oh, Jesus."

Ariel looked down and scrunched up her nose. Lying on the ground was the poor dear Daryl had been tracking, and Ariel had been watching him track. The poor animal had been half eaten by a walker.

"Son of a bitch." Daryl said angrily. "That's my deer! Look at it! All gnawed on by this..." he began to kick it, taking his frustration out on the walker that was now interestingly beat and decapitated. "Filthy, disease-bearing, motherless poxy bastard!"

The old man who Ariel had not noticed was looking at her, looked at Daryl. "Calm down, son. That's not helping."

Daryl rounded on him. "What do you know about it, old man? Why don't you take that stupid hat and go back to "on golden pond"? I've been tracking this deer for miles. Before this idiot over here made me lose it."

Ariel snorted. "I didn't _make_ you lose anything. You lost it yourself."

"Had to make sure it wasn't a walker behind me, didn't I?" he argued back.

"Luckily for you, it was a well tempered woman instead."

This time it was Daryl who snorted. "Annoying as hell more like."

The man with the broad chest and the black hair pointed at her, narrowing his eyes. "Who are you?"

"Ariel," she said. "I met your lovely friend here in the woods."

The man grinned at her sarcasm. "You all alone out here?"

"Yes sir," she didn't know where the sir came from, but she felt like it applied to him. He felt...powerful. There was another man near him that caught Ariel's attention. He had brown wavy hair and warm eyes, holding onto his wife and child like that was all there was and ever would be. There was a different kind of kindness in his eyes, Ariel thought. He was not studying her, no, this man had already immediately accepted her.

He must not have been around in the zombie apocalypse long, she thought. No one stays that good for long, not in this world. Ariel was just good at putting on a show.

Daryl's voice popped her back into reality. "...cook us up some venison. What do you think? Do you think we can cut around this chewed up part right here?"

The authoritative looking man said, "I would not risk that."

Daryl sighed. "That's a damn shame. I got some squirrel, about a dozen or so. That'll have to do."

Ariel almost laughed when the head of the walker started to move its teeth and a girl with blonde hair moaned. Ariel's eyes were for Daryl who rolled his eyes and said, "Come on people, what the hell?" he shot it with one of his arrows. "It's gotta be the brain. Don't y'all know nothing?"

Ariel touched her heart. "You do know how to win a lady over."

The authority man laughed while the women turned and walked away shaken by the events. The man with the kind eyes removed himself from his wife and child and looked at Ariel with the softest of smiles she had ever seen. This was a man who had a heart of gold, and she wondered how he had not been crushed yet in this cruel world.

She could see all that in his eyes, in the way that he held his hand out, ready to shake it, ready to trust her. "Rick Grimes," he said.

Ariel took it and felt warmth spread through her. It was like being close to something heavenly. "Ariel."

"You should come back to camp with us." he smiled.

Daryl and the authoritative man both whipped their heads around and exclaimed, "What?"

His wife looked just as worried as them, it was the old man and the Asian boy who was hanging back a little that seemed to be leaning towards Rick, a little pensive but looking as though they agreed.

Rick turned around, talking to all of them but looking at his wife. "We can't leave her out here all alone."

His wife, a pretty woman with long brown hair bit her bottom lip but didn't say anything. Ariel felt extremely uncomfortable while no one spoke until the Asian boy piped up.

"Well if Daryl didn't decide to kill her, she can't be all too bad."

Ariel grinned while Daryl flipped the Asian boy off.

* * *

Introductions were made quickly amongst the group, and since there weren't too many, Ariel figured she could remember their names fairly easily. As they approached the camp however, the aura of the group died down, except for Daryl who was apparently excited to see his brother. He kept looking at Rick, apparently not knowing who he was and didn't bother listening when Rick had formally introduced himself.

"Merle! Merle! Get your ugly ass out here! I got us some squirrel! Let's stew 'em up." he walked over to a log, looking to set his things down.

Shane, the authoritative one, looked like he was just about ready for a fight to go down. "Daryl, just slow up a bit. I need to talk to you."

"About what?" Daryl asked.

"About Merle. There was a...there was a problem in Atlanta."

Daryl looked around the group that had formed around him. Ariel felt bad, he looked like a cat that was surrounded by a lot of big dogs, cowering down with its tail between its legs. Daryl didn't exactly cower down, but the way his head whisked around at them made him look very vulnerable. Ariel hung back, knowing this was not her business.

"He dead?" he asked slowly.

Shane was uncomfortable. "We're not sure."

Again, Ariel laughed. When Shane shot her a dirty look she shrugged. "Well how do you not know if someone is dead?" she muttered. Rick looked at her from the corner of her eye and gave a weary smile. She was thankful for that.

Daryl agreed with Ariel, his voice rising. "Exactly, he either is or he ain't!"

Rick stepped forward. "No easy way to say this, so I'll just say it."

"Who are you?" Daryl spat.

"Rick Grimes."

Daryl purposely drawled out Rick's name when he spoke. "Rick Grimes, you got something you wanna tell me?"

"Your brother was a danger to us all, so Ii handcuffed him on a roof, hooked him to a piece of metal. He's still there."

Daryl turned away and rubbed his eye for a moment. Ariel instinctively moved forward but Lori held out her hand to stop her. Ariel didn't know what to do with that, so she took Lori's hand and held it. Ariel was just as surprised with the action as Lori was, but Ariel only figured that this woman needed a hand right now, when it looked like her husband was about to go in a throw down with a man Ariel would never want to cross.

Lori squeezed her hand.

This was one thing Ariel knew how to do with people, from when she was a child to becoming an adult. Making sure people knew they were not alone. Being bullied as a child, she wanted to make sure that other people never felt scared. The world was already too harsh of a place for that.

"Hold on, let me process this." Daryl was yelling now. "You're saying you handcuffed my brother to a roof and you left him there?"

Rick nodded. "Yeah."

Daryl shot his squirrels over Rick's head, who ducked easily and made to attack him. Shane tackled him with his side, throwing Daryl onto the ground. Ariel forgot she was holding Lori's hand and yelled, "Hey!" but no one heard her, so she moved forward, releasing herself from the brown haired woman and walked forward.

As Daryl pulled his knife out and swiped at Rick, Lori gasped and Ariel beat Shane to reach Daryl. She remembered moves from all her classes that she had taken and slid behind Daryl, smoothly catching him behind the knees, sending him whirling in the air. He fell on his back with a grunt, the knife slipping from his hand. She grabbed it and twisted in the dirt, her knee on his chest and took the knife and plunged it into the ground.

A silence went around the whole campsite, only Daryl's annoyed grunt of, "Yeah, knew you could make it on your own." Ariel grinned at the hint of sincerity underneath his rage.

"You going to listen to them now?" she asked, looking down at him.

"You'd best let me go!" he yelled in her face.

"Hey, I'm trying to help you man!" she yelled back. "Daryl, come on. Listen to what Rick has to say. I'm on your side here."

"Don't look that way." he pinched her knee and she grunted, pinning his arms down. "I could do this all day, girlie."

"Hey, do you want to get your brother back or not?" she snapped.

Daryl was quiet. He nodded slowly, but there was a glint in his eyes. Ariel wondered if it was the sun shining or if it was tears.

"Right then." Ariel got off him, getting up with dignity and brushing off the dirt off her clothes. She held out her hand to Daryl who did not take it, so she rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, muttering, "You're welcome."

Daryl looked at Rick, waiting. Rick told him, "What I did was not on a whim. Your brother does not work and play well with others."

A black guy who Ariel did not know spoke. "It's not Rick's fault. I had the key. I dropped it."

Ariel rolled her eyes again. "Dude, seriously, you couldn't just pick it up?"

The man looked at her, annoyed since he did not know her and sighed. "Well, I dropped it in a drain."

Daryl, his temper still aflame, snapped, "If it's supposed to make me feel better, it don't!"

"Well, maybe this will. Look, I chained the door to the roof, so the geeks can't get to him. Did it with a padlock. It's gotta count for something."

"Hell with all y'all. Just tell me where he is so that I can go get him."

Lori spoke. "He'll show you. Isn't that right?"

Rick nodded. "I'm going back."

Ariel nudged Daryl with her elbow. "I'll go too."

"You following me now? Like some puppy?" he yelled, waving his hands and walking away from the group.

"Hey, don't you get mad at me!" Ariel did follow him. "I'm helping you."

"Guess what girlie, I don't need your help."

"I swear to Lucifer Daryl, call me girlie again and I will make you eat out of your own ass!" she squared to face him, both of them breathing into each other's faces. She felt his hot breath on her mouth and felt her stomach turn in a different way than it did when she looked at Rick. They were both handsome men, but Rick was kind and decent, and Daryl...well Daryl was an animal.

_Don't be such an ass_, she said to herself, _Daryl is probably just as nice and decent._

"Leave. Me. Be." he snarled.

"No." she said back. "You brought me here−"

"I didn't want to bring you here!" he yelled.

"You brought me here," she said again. "So I'm going to help you bring your brother back too."

He stared at her, shaking his head. "You really are a crazy lady."

Ariel smiled. "I know."

* * *

Sometime later, the truck that T-Dog, Glenn, Rick, Daryl and Ariel were in arrived outside the city limits. Ariel was nervous scratching her arms like she always did when she was nervous.

**Daryl eyed her. "Keep doin' that and you're gonna get scars."

Ariel huffed. "Already did, hot stuff."

Daryl scrunched his nose. "Don't call me that." he grabbed her hand, looking more annoyed with her scratching than she was with the burning that she was inflicting on herself. "Stop it. You're annoying me."

"Everything annoys you." she watched as he held her hand for one second too long before he took his hand back and went back to glaring at the others. **

"He'd better be okay, it's my only word on the matter." he murmured.

"Come on Daryl," she said. "T-Dog told you that nothing can get to them except us. Have some faith."

"Right." he crossed his arms.

Glenn stopped the truck. "We walk from here."

As they got out, Rick touched Ariel's shoulder, murmuring to her. "Keep close by him, keep him calm...just in case."

Ariel nodded. "Okay," she breathed. Though she wasn't sure anyone could keep Daryl Dixon calm.

It was a while before they reached the roof, not that they had any close calls, but Ariel's foot got stuck inside a pothole and Daryl and Rick had to use a lot of their force to get her out. It was another five minutes before she could walk again, swearing that she had twisted it. As they walked up the stairs, Daryl was still shaking his head.

"Just a baby." he muttered.

"How about you get your foot stuck, and then we'll see who the big baby is."

'I already know who the baby is." he watched the others cut through the padlock and enter the roof. Daryl ran out, yelling, "Merle! Merle!"

Ariel ran out after him and gasped, hearing Daryl's sobs but not quite understanding what was in front of her. Her eyes shifted between a sobbing Daryl, a saw and a severed hand.

* * *

_**I hope you all enjoyed it, right now I did not change too much, but as the episodes go by you will see that I will. I know it looks a little like a love triangle too with the way she talks about rick, but I am not a fan of triangles so I will tell you straight up, that everything she feels for rick is on a friendship based level. Her respect for him is just immense. This is a Daryl story, through and through. I hope you guys enjoyed, review if you so wish!**_


	3. Chapter 2

_**so i do not own any of these characters or this story besides Ariel and most of what comes out of her mouth. i also do not own daryl dixon, just the words that i put in that are not originally in the walking dead. review and enjoy :) **_

* * *

**Chapter 2 -**

The moment that Daryl turned his crossbow on T-Dog, Rick had his gun ready on Daryl. Ariel moved forward as Rick said something that she couldn't hear; she was too busy walking towards Daryl, moving right in front of the crossbow.

"Second time you be in front of my bow." he mumbled. "Got a death wish or somethin'?"

_I did once_. "Daryl." was all she said. She went in her pocket and retrieved a rag and handed to him, pushing his crossbow down.

He stared at her, hate firing in his eyes. He looked like he wanted to hit her, but then again, Daryl Dixon; in the short hours that she had come to know him, looked like he wanted to hit everyone. He swiped the rag away from her and walked over to the severed hand, picking it up.

"I guess the saw blade was too dull for the handcuffs. Ain't that a bitch." he took it and walked over to Glenn who did not dare to protest loudly enough as Daryl put it in his bag. "He must have used a tourniquet...maybe his belt. Be much more blood if he didn't."

Ariel nudged Daryl with her foot pointing to a trail of blood. "The trail leads inside there." she nudged him. "Come on, he's probably just inside. Maybe he's having a good laugh, hearing you wail like a child."

"Shut up." he muttered, lifting his crossbow up.

Ariel chuckled, she and Rick following Daryl past the door into the room that it led to. Rick had his gun out and Ariel took out her dagger. They walked down the stairs, Daryl shouting for Merle.

"Merle! You in here?"

Ariel frowned, Rick looking back at her with worry. "I'm sure he's in here." she said positively. "If he's a Dixon, means he's tough."

"And loud." Glenn muttered.

"I heard that." Daryl snapped. He smoothly walked into an office, slipping past a door and shot a walker that growled at them before it had a chance to move. After he made sure the coast was clear he noticed another two walkers on the ground. "Had enough in him to take out these two sumbitches. One handed. Toughest asshole I ever met my brother. Feed him a hammer, he'd crap out nails."

Rick looked around. "Any man can pass out from blood loss, no matter how tough he is."

"There's the positivity we need." Ariel muttered. "Well, if he did pass out, means he might be around, right?"

"You talk a lot." Daryl said.

"I like the sound of my voice." she smiled sweetly; narrowing her eyes to make sure he caught her attitude.

Daryl however was not paying attention to her; he continued to search, shouting for him. Rick scolded him and Daryl retorted back with just as much anger and annoyance as ever. Ariel found herself thinking that if she hung out with these men any longer, she would start getting a massive headache.

As they walked into the kitchen, Ariel wrinkled her nose, looking at the burned skin on the stove that had been stupidly kept on.

"Is he trying to burn down the building?" she mumbled.

Glenn asked. "What's that burned stuff?"  
Rick frowned. "Skin, he cauterized the stump.

"Told you he was tough, nobody can kill Merle but Merle.

"Don't take that on faith, he's lost a lot of blood."

Ariel walked past him to the smashed window. She looked down to the city ground before looking back at Daryl. "Well, the idiot broke out of here."

"Watch your mouth." he murmured.

She rolled her eyes, Glenn coming up behind them to look at the window. "He left the building? Why the hell would he do that?"

"I'd do the same." Ariel said, moving away from the window. "Either that or get eaten alive. I know, I _know_," she added when she saw T-Dog's face. "You locked the door. There's other ways to die. At least he's trying."

T-Dog was in shock. "You call that surviving? Just wandering out in the streets, maybe passing out? What are his odds out there?"

Once again, for what seemed like the thousandth time, Daryl raised his voice. "No worse than being handcuffed and left to rot by you sorry pricks. You couldn't kill him; I ain't so worried about some dead dumb bastard."

Rick faced him. "What about a thousand dead dumb bastards? Different story?"

Daryl almost smirked, facing the sheriff in the face. "'Why don't you take a tally? Do what you want. I'm gonna go get him." he turned and pointed at Ariel. "She's gonna come with me."

"Well," Ariel crossed her arms, murmuring to Glenn. "At least he's warming up to me."

"That's not your decision to make." Rick pushed Daryl back with his hand on his chest. "Daryl, wait."

Daryl yelled. "Get your hands off me! You can't stop me."

"Rick," Ariel walked forward. "I'll go its fine. I told him I'd help him find his brother."

"It's not about that," he breathed. "Merle is family, and I get that, I went through hell to find mine. I know exactly how you feel. He can't get far with that injury. We could help you check a few blocks around but only if we keep a level head."

Ariel kicked Daryl's ankle. "He could do that."

Daryl frowned at her before nodding at Rick.

T-Dog sighed. "Only if we get those guns first. I'm not strolling the streets of Atlanta with just my good intentions, okay?"

Ariel pushed Daryl lightly, ignoring his glare and walked back into the office with the others, T-Dog slumping to the ground with Glenn, Rick standing and Daryl leaning against the wall, his hands on his knees. Ariel stood by him.

"So, now we just need a way of getting the guns." she moved around Daryl and flicked the blinds to look outside. "Maybe we can bait them, like fish."

Daryl looked at her sideways. "We don't get any hooks and lines."

"Christ Daryl, I wasn't being literal." she let the blinds go and slid down the wall to the floor, looking up at him. "Lighten up."

"My brother is out there with a bunch of dead people walkin' round. Think I've earned the right to be a little anxious, don't ya think?"

"We're trying to help." she snapped. "Hence, thinking of a plan."

"Longer we sit here doin' nothin', further he gets away!" he growled.

"I can get the guns." Glenn said suddenly. "I can run through them, get the guns and split."

Rick shook his head. "You're not doing this alone."

"Even Ii think it's a bad idea and I don't even like you much." Daryl said.

Ariel punched his knee. "There is a time and a place for honesty," she hissed. "This is neither."

Glenn sighed. "It's a good idea, okay, if you just hear me out. If we go out there in a group, we're slow, drawing attention. If I'm alone, I can move fast." He began to draw a map of the street on the ground, marking the tank and the guns. "Look, that's the tank, five blocks from where we are now. That's the bag of guns. Here's the alley I dragged you into when we first met. That's where Daryl, Ariel and I will go."

"Why us?" Ariel asked. "I don't think this one can stand me much longer." she pointed her thumb at Daryl and he twisted it away from him.

"Your weapons are quieter than Rick's gun. While you cover me in the alley I can grab the bag."

"I'll get the bag." Ariel said suddenly. She gave Glenn her dagger and looked around at the men. "I was a track runner in high school, and I was able to sneak up on Dixon which means I'm pretty quiet."

Daryl rolled his eyes. "You didn't sneak up on me."

Ariel waved her hand to quiet him. "I'll go down with Daryl while the others and you, Glenn, follow the rest of your plan."

"I don't like it." Rick said.

Ariel shrugged. "That's how it's going to be." she kicked Daryl's ankle again so he could get up. "Let's go Dixon, we got work to do."

* * *

"Rick's right, this plan is stupid."

"He didn't say it was stupid." Ariel said as they climbed down the ladder. "He just said he didn't like it. And I didn't think you would take Rick's side."

"Well I sure as hell wouldn't take yours." he muttered, jumping down to the ground. Ariel frowned at him and he lifted his crossbow. "Let's get this over with."

Ariel put her hand on Daryl's shoulder and feigned a sad smile. "Try to not to miss me much when I'm gone."

"Believe me, I won't." he mumbled.

Ariel grinned and then tapped Daryl's face playfully. He frowned and swatted her hand away. "Hey," she said seriously. "We'll find him."

When Daryl didn't say anything, Ariel sighed and turned to look at the gate. Daryl opened it for her and let her out, Ariel immediately taking off down the street, hiding behind cars as she began to make her way for the tank and the guns. It was easy to run past them, quiet like a cat, quick like a cheetah. She jumped over her obstacles and with a wide grin, went for the bag. She grinned at Rick's hat and took it from the ground, she would love to see Rick's face light up.

Just as easily as she had made it to the guns, she ran back, a little slower now with the weight holding her back. When she got back to the alley ready to throw the bag down in Daryl's face and gloat, she stopped in surprise, watching a two men beat up on Daryl. Feeling fire in her veins, she was ready to pound these guys into the dirt for hurting Daryl Dixon, curled up on the ground taking their blows.

She dropped the bag and put up her fists, blood pounding in her ears. But for some reason, when they turned on her ready to take her down, she froze. She did not charge like she wanted and she was barely able to defend herself. One man struck and she ducked, punching him in the stomach, but the other man knocked her in the side of her head. She felt the blood pool and her skin scratch as she fell to the floor. Daryl was yelling for her, and she think she screamed out his name too, but as one of them hit her over the head again, she fell into the darkness.

* * *

When Ariel opened her eyes she thought that she had gone blind. Her chest rose quickly, the darkness settling into her heart and having her panic. It took a moment for her to realise that her head was in a bag and that her arms were being held back. She swore she heard someone apologize, but she did not think that they meant it. Her head was pounding, her arms and legs were burning from her fall to the concrete and now fear was rising in her. This was too familiar, being held and beaten, this was too much.

When the bag was taken off, she closed her eyes, taking a very long moment to adjust to the sunlight. "Assholes." she muttered, trying to move in their grip, her shirt was ripped at the bottom on the side, and she realized that she had a scratch along her ribs. "Let me go."

There were two men holding her back, too tight. This would give her nightmares, not the zombies or the new world, but these two men holding her would give her nightmares. It was an effort to keep her panic down.

Then she heard the voices. "...got a mixed girl, I think. You interested?"

Then she heard Rick's voice, and it filled her with such an immense sense of hope. It was one of those religious moments that she read about in her books, when you hear or see something that comes down on you in a ray of light, and for a moment, for one perfect moment she knew that she would be okay. Rick was here. If Rick was here, that means Daryl was too, and Daryl Dixon would not let her stay with these people, no matter how mean he was.

"I have one of yours, you have one of mine. Sounds like an even trade."

"Don't sound even to me."

"G." said a voice that Ariel did not know. "Come on, man."

"My people got attacked. Where's the compensation for their pain and suffering? More to the point, where's my bag of guns?"

"Guns?"

"The bag Miguel saw in the street. The bag Felipe and Jorge were going back to get. That bag of guns."

"You're mistaken."

"I don't think so."

"About it being yours. It's my bag of guns."

"That bag was in the street. Anybody could come around and say it was theirs. I'm supposed to take your word? What's to stop my people from unloading on you right here and now and I take what's mine?"

"You could do that, or not."

Rick must have done something that threatening the guy he was talking to. Because he called out "Oye" and suddenly Ariel was being hauled against her will on the roof. She looked down at Daryl and Rick, calling out to them through the gag in her mouth, her eyes watering with tears. She hadn't wanted to cry, not here, not now, not looking vulnerable in front of these men. Rick looked up at her with the most sorrowful eyes she had ever seen before he directed his attention back to the men in front of him.

Daryl Dixon was furious. Even through her tears and the distance, she saw him look over her blood and cuts. He looked back at the men and narrowed his eyes. He wanted to kill these men.

"Leave her be." he growled, and not the annoying kind of voice he used when he spoke to Ariel, but the dangerous kind that made her knees shake.

"I see two options." the man started.

"Really?" Daryl yelled. "Cause I just see one!"

The man grinned. "She your little plaything, redneck?"

"Watch your mouth."

The man laughed. "Come back with Miguel and my bag of guns, everybody walks. Or you come back locked and loaded, we'll see which side spills more blood."

Daryl looked back up at her and nodded, giving her some sense of reassurance that she needed. Before the men took her away from the view, Rick's eyes followed. His sad eyes washed away the reassurance that Daryl's look had given her. She was going to die here.

And yet...

When they brought her back in the building they undid her binds and let go of her, letting her stumble forward with her swears and curses. She looked around her, at the men who had their hands up, looking apologetic. Perhaps when they had apologized it had been sincere?

"We're sorry we had to do that." said a voice. She looked around and watched a man come, with the same leadership around him that Rick had. "But we had to show we weren't messing around. I promise we won't hurt you."

"Who the fuck are you people?" she snapped.

"You're in a nursing home. We can bandage you up."

"A nursing home? Then why the hell..."

"We had to protect our people."

"Those men are good, _kind_ people." she started.

"It's a dog eat dog world, I have to protect my own."

"Then why aren't I dead yet?" she challenged.

"Because I know those men will come for you, I saw it in them. They'll make the trade." he smiled. "We can bandage you up."

"I'll do it myself." she murmured. Though, she did not think the cuts were too deep, she would probably just clean them and be done with it. "Don't have any clothes do you?"

He shook his head. "Sorry."

She shrugged and followed him carefully, feeling her hip for her knife and cursing inwardly when she remembered she had given it to Glenn. As she followed him, she muttered, "They won't give up the guns."

"I don't know, that hillbilly was looking at you like I was just about to take away the sun from the sky."

Ariel's cheeks heated. "They have people to protect too, they won't give up their guns. They don't even know me."

The man looked at her but did not say another word.

He brought her into a room and gave her access to the medicine she needed to clean her wounds enough so that she would not get infected. She wanted so bad to wash herself but learnt not to take chances with water. So, she sat around in what looked like the main area with a bunch of old people and a few young ones taking care of them and began to tend to herself. No one came near her for which she was glad. She had already lost her dignity as it was. It burned for the first one but she got used to it for all the rest.

_Better this than a zombie scratch_, she thought.

She took a bandage and put on her rib, but none on her arms or knees, they were too big and she did not want to waste all their material. She took a longer one, one that she was able to wrap around multiple times and fashioned herself a sort of headband, wrapping it around her forehead twice before tying it in the back, her head wound being the biggest. Thank god it was not deep enough to need stitches. That would have just sent her through the roof with anger.

* * *

Time passed and went, how long, she didn't know, but the hope she barely had, had now disappeared completely. Rick's blue eyes were in her mind, sad and filling her with a great loss. _This was it_, she said to herself, _they won't let me go, and Rick and Daryl won't come for me. I'm going to die here with old people and surrounded by men. _That was not a situation that she desired.

One of the older gentlemen began to cough, an old lady leaving the room to look for someone. Ariel stayed on her spot on the floor, knowing she should get up and help, but surrounded by these sick and dying, and now by young, healthy men that she did not know and had beat her and gagged her, her fear had consumed her. Sitting with her knees up to her chest seemed like the only solution.

What was the difference between these men and Rick and Daryl?

Sure, Daryl had threatened to kill her once to her face, but probably a few more times behind her back, but he had never physically mistreated her. His insults were not taken seriously, not when he handed them out to everyone so freely. Daryl was a hurt animal in a corner, looking for its sibling and lost in the world like everyone else. His attitude was a result of that, and she couldn't blame him. After all, his brother had been chained to the roof like an animal himself.

As for Rick Grimes, well it was hard to feel threatened by Rick Grimes. He was too good, too noble to be afraid of a man like that. Maybe she was crazy, maybe far too trusting, but Ariel did her best to see good in people. But around men like this, men who had hurt her, she could not see good, not even when they took care of their own. What was taking care of your own if you beat others just to get what you needed from them?

She prayed and prayed that Rick would come for her. That Daryl, Glenn and T-Dog might argue with him, because she knew that they would, but Rick, Rick Grimes would come for her.

When she saw the man in uniform appear to her in the doorway it was like seeing God. When Daryl came up behind him, she thought to herself, _these two, these two are my guardian angels._ She didn't have that when she was a child, bullied and beat in school. How weird it was to find it now, so many years later.

T-Dog said something about dogs, but she didn't hear him. All she saw was Rick looking relieved and Daryl saying something rude to one of the men who had held her before. He walked over to her, putting his crossbow by the floor.

"Hey." he said.

Ariel didn't care that she annoyed him or that he probably didn't like her too much. She let out a whimper and threw herself into his arms. She didn't care that he didn't hug her back or that someone whistled and another person laughed. She didn't care that Daryl mumbled something rude and unintelligible. If safety was found in the hands of an angry hunter and a caring cop, she would take it.

When she let go of him she smiled because he was looking angry and bashful all in the same. "Get your ass up." he muttered.

She laughed, and it felt like her heart was soaring.

He let her get up on her own, apparently having had his fill of physical affection for the day and stared at her wounds. "You good?"

_Not on the inside_. "Yeah."

He nodded, chewing on the inside of his lip. "Did they..."

"No." she assured him. "I'm fine."

"Fine ain't good." was all he said.

"Your brother." she said suddenly, feeling the guilt rise up in her. She had put them off their mission.

He shook his head, and she put hers down.

Rick came up to them and put his hand on her shoulder. "Come on," he said with a soft smile. "Let's go."

She stared at him and thought, _yes, this man is a god, a savior._ When Daryl followed him, she smiled again, _and that is his little fallen angel._

* * *

"How are you doing?" Rick asked as they walked along the way back to their van.

Ariel shrugged. "I'm alive, that's something."

"You are alive." he agreed. "I'm sorry it took us so long, we needed a plan. We didn't want to give up the guns but we needed you. Daryl decided to come in guns blazing and just do both."

"Daryl decided?" she grinned, looking at his back.

Rick nodded. "I'm glad you're okay. I would not have been able to gone back to that camp without you."

"You guys don't even know me."

"People need to stick together." he said shaking his head. "Ii trust you, you haven't given me a reason not to. He does too." he nodded at Daryl. "You fighting to find his brother...he respects you."

Ariel smiled softly. "I suppose that's an achievement right?" she looked at his hat and tapped it. "So sheriff, is that the reason why you came back here? Not for Merle but for your hat?"

"Don't tell anyone." he winked.

They came to the spot where they parked the van only to find that it was gone. Glenn gasped. "Oh my god."

Daryl was just as in shock. "Where the hell's our van?"

"We left it right there. Who would take it?"

"Merle." Rick growled.

Daryl shook his head. "He's gonna be taking some vengeance back to camp."

"We need to run." T-Dog said.

Rick looked around at Ariel, beaten and bruised. "Are you able?"

Ariel sucked it up, looking at Daryl who gave her the smallest smile she had ever seen, and his mouth picking up on only one side. "She's got this." he said.

"Yeah," she nodded, looking at Rick. "I'm able."

Nothing prepared them for what happened when they got back. Screams and gunshots were heard from a distance. They ran as fast as they could, coming up the small hill and trail with their guns out blazing, shooting at the walkers, not caring who would hear, not know when the walkers were killing and ripping their way through the campsite. Rick led them, Daryl by his side, the rest of them shooting all the remaining walkers down. Every time Ariel moved, Daryl moved with her, protecting her and trying to shoot at everything before she had a chance. The weight and her tired muscles were screaming, because this was not like running on a track field, this was being beaten and hungry and tired and she felt like dying from it all.

When the noise had died down, her ears were still ringing, and when she looked around her she had no choice but cower over. She put her hands on her knees, tears spilling over, watching Rick sob and cry as his wife and child ran into his arms.

"No," Daryl said to her. "Get up." but it wasn't mean this time, it was sympathetic as much as it was demanding.

So she did what he said, and watched a blonde sister cry over another one, and a little girl about Carl's age cry over her dead mother and father.

Lori was crying in Rick's arms, muttering the words "Carol and Amy...Carol and Amy."

Daryl was looking at everything with a straight face, giving nothing away. Ariel wiped away her tears and thought of reaching for Daryl's hand.

She crossed her arms.

* * *

**I hope you guys liked the twist! So there's some past darkness that will be explored, between Daryl and Ariel. I wish I hadn't had to kill Carol off, but it was either now or later, and so I chose now because it'll lead to something awesome when "season two" hits the chapters. reviews are welcomed!**

**just so you all know, it's not that i don't like carol, i LOVE HER TO NO END, i just could not have her exist for this story, because i have other plans for other characters, and plan to change things. **


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 -**

"Thought I told you to stay on your feet." Daryl murmured to Ariel.

She wiped sweat off her brow and flipped him off, forcing herself to her feet. "I'm tired as hell man." she sighed, looking up to the skies. She handed him a pickaxe and shook her head. "I can't do this anymore; I haven't even recovered from yesterday."

"You recovering' is the least of our worries, I think." he mumbled, nodding at Andrea and the little girl Sophia. "Can't believe this shit." he crossed his arms, the pickaxe hanging awkwardly from his hands.

Ariel nodded. "I have to say, it was not this exciting when I was alone." when Daryl frowned at her she added. "Okay, maybe exciting isn't the right word..."

"Don't think so." he agreed, walking away from her.

Ariel sighed and walked over to the little girl Sophia, weeping openly in front of her dead parents. Ariel could relate to that, after losing both her parents she most definitely felt like a lost little girl in a big crazy world. It was even harder for this poor thing, barely older than twelve it seemed, she would not be able to make it in a world like this. Not without help.

"Hey honey." Ariel sat by Sophia, wrapping her arm around the crying girl's shoulders. The girl didn't know Ariel even a little, but pain and sorrow had taken her by a storm and so the girl immediately wrapped her arms around Ariel, hugging her tightly. It hurt a little, but Ariel hugged her back. "I know." she whispered.

"W-what am I gonna d-do?" she wailed.

"You're going to stick with this group here." she told her. "Rick and Shane and Daryl, and all of them, Lori too, they'll all protect you." she smiled slightly. "Just like they did with me. I was a lost little girl too." She frowned at herself, hoping Daryl hadn't heard her call herself that.

Sophia looked up not bothering to wipe her eyes. "Did you lose your mommy and daddy too?"

"Yeah." she said sadly. "I know what you're going through darling."

"I miss them so much already." she sobbed. "Is it supposed to be this hard?"

"Death?"

"No, life."

"No honey," Ariel said sadly. "It's not supposed to be this hard."

Sophia sniffed and wiped her nose, looking at her mother. "She protected me from him." she whispered. "Now who is going to protect me from everything else?"

Disgust burned in Ariel's stomach as she realized that the 'him' Sophia was referring to was her father. She didn't want to know what he did to his daughter, or tried to do, but she was sure that if she had known while he was alive, she probably would have tried to kill him herself.

"I'll protect you hon."

"Promise?" she sniffed.

"Yeah of course, and I just know Lori will too. She's a good mother." Ariel was pulling words out of her ass now, not knowing anything about anyone she was talking about. All her assumptions she was basing after barely more than a day. Still, she would do anything to make a little girl feel better.

"Thank you." she said.

"Come on, how about you go sit by Carl? It's better if you don't sit here alone."

"Can't I come with you?" she asked.

"I have to go help with..." she looked down at the dead bodies in front of her. "I have to help."

Sophia nodded in understanding and stood up, walking away. She sighed and got up, tying her brown hair up in a bun. She had removed her bandages by this point; it was only her muscles that were still very tired from the beat and the running from the previous night. She had changed into a white tank top and black shorts, wearing her combat boots all the same. She walked back to the group and met up with Daryl, Rick, Shane, Dale and Lori who were watching Andrea hold a dead Amy from a distance.

"Y'all can't be serious." Daryl was saying. "Let that girl hamstring us? The dead girl's a time bomb."

Rick was looking tired. "What do you suggest?"

Daryl looked at him as though he were an idiot. "Take the shot. Clean, in the brain from here. Hell, I can hit a turkey between the eyes from this distance."

"No," Lori said sternly. "For God's sake, let her be."

Daryl walked away in a fit, Rick looking to Ariel for help.

"Don't look at me." she said. "I'm with Daryl on this one."

Lori frowned. "Really?"

"Well, he's not wrong. The girl is going to change, and then what? Then Andrea gets bit and you have to put down two sisters instead of one."

"She's mourning."

"We're all mourning, we've all lost people." She said, then before anyone could argue she grabbed Lori gently by the hand. "Can I talk to you, privately?" She ignored Daryl and Glenn arguing in the background and took a concerned looking Lori aside.

"Look, it's about Sophia..." she started.

Lori looked even more tired than before. "That poor child."

Ariel nodded. "I promised I'd take care of her, but honestly, I'm no mother, I mean I was engaged and...but...anyway...look, I will take care of her, I just need help in the process of taking care of her."

Lori smiled. "We pull together, that's what we do. You're not alone, and neither is she."

Ariel smiled back gratefully.

Another one of the group members, yelling interrupted Lori and Ariel's discussion. Jacqui was backing away from Jim, yelling, "A walker got him, a walker bit Jim!"

Lori touched Ariel's hand. "I'll go to the kids." she murmured.

Ariel nodded, moving forward with the guys, finding Daryl in the mix and moving close to him. He was like gravity, she thought, looking at him. He was a hard man and he helped keep people safe. She wondered if he was hard before the world went to shit too.

"Show it to us." Daryl said.

Jim went for a shovel and Daryl nudged Ariel with his elbow. "Grab him," he said lowly as the others started shouting pleas for Jim to relax. Ariel smoothly did as she was told, coming around the group, kicking his wrist so he dropped the shovel and then caught his arms, pulling them back. Daryl moved forward quickly and lifted Jim's shirt, revealing the wound.

As Ariel let go and stepped away, all Jim did was keep repeating, "I'm okay."

* * *

"This is stupid." Ariel snapped. "You're debating about Jim but won't kill Amy? In what world does that make sense?"

Daryl nodded. "I say we put a pickaxe in his head and the dead girl's and be done with it."

Shane's tone was judgemental. "Is that what you'd want if it were you?"

Daryl met his gaze, as he always did when he felt the least threatened or outnumbered and spoke truthfully, "Yeah, and I'd thank you while you did it."

"I hate to say it...I never thought Ii would..." Dale started. "But maybe Daryl's right."

Rick shook his head. "Jim's not a monster, Dale, or some rabid dog."

Ariel grunted. "He will be." It was only Daryl who wasn't throwing her cross looks. "Oh come on people, we all know it's true. He's sick and he's going to die no matter what."

Rick was adamant. "We start down that road, where do we draw the line?"

"The line's pretty clear." Daryl said. "Zero tolerance for walkers, or them to be."

"What if we can get him help? I heard the C.D.C was working on a cure."

Ariel sighed. "Rick come on, if the C.D.C is even up with workers who are _alive_ that's an accomplishment in itself. But to have them working on a cure...that's a long shot man, you have to know that." Rick was a reasonable man, but his desire to help others outweighed everything else.

Shane nodded. "We all want what you want Rick, but if anything good exists it has to be at the army base in Fort Benning. If that place is operation, it'll be armed and we will be safe."

While Shane and Rick argued, Daryl took matters into his own hands. "You go lookin' for aspirin; do what you need to do. Someone needs to have some balls to take care of this damn problem!" He turned to head towards Jim with his pickaxe to take a swing. Rick was there, pointing his gun at Daryl's head.

"We don't kill the living."

Daryl turned to face him. "That's funny coming from a man who just put a gun to my head."

Shane nodded. "We may disagree on some things, not on this. You put it down. Go on."

Daryl threw the pickaxe away and walked away. When Ariel didn't follow him, he turned around and yelled, "Hey, you comin' or what?"

Ariel followed, jogging up to him as he walked away. "I thought you didn't like it when I followed you. I thought I annoyed you to no end!"

"Like you a hell of a lot more than everyone else here." he snapped, loud enough to make sure everyone heard him.

"It's a wonder why you have my heart."

"Shut up." he said. "Can't you ever be serious?"

"You don't want me to be serious hot stuff, or else this apocalypse is going to get even more depressing."

"Don't see how that could be." he mumbled. "Just bout as shitty as it can be. People are losing their minds left right and center, and I still haven't found my brother."

"Daryl, he's probably long gone by now." she said softly. "I just don't see how we would find him now."

"I ain't sayin' I'm gonna run off into the forest right now, I'm just sayin'."

"Venting." she nodded. "You just need to vent."

"I don't vent." he mumbled. "Come on; help me get these bodies on the truck."

"Ugh," she wrinkled her nose. "This is disgusting."

Daryl huffed, picking them up by the heads while Ariel got the feet. "Stop being such a girl."

"Stop saying the word girl like it's an insult." she snapped.

Daryl raised his voice a bit, not out of anger, but talking over exertion of using his body. "You one of them women power crazy people?"

"You mean a feminist?" she couldn't _not_ smile at his words. "Yeah, I am, got a problem with that?"

"No," he mumbled, helping her with the next one. "Think it matters now though, when the whole world is shit?"

"Sure it does. Just because the world is a shitty place, doesn't mean people should treat others in a shitty way." she stared at him pointedly. "You should be nicer to people."

"You should talk less."

"Don't lie to yourself Dixon, I know you like it when I talk." she laughed, hauling the last body with him.

Daryl shook his head, getting in the truck. "You got too much of an ego, Ariel." he said.

It was the first time that she had heard him say her name, and for some reason, Ariel found it sounded pretty, coming off his southern tongue than it ever had been said before. She grinned and got in the truck after him, riding in silence all the way up to where Shane and Rick were digging graves. Silence was okay though, with Daryl, she knew he preferred it, and although she didn't, it wasn't uncomfortable.

* * *

It was a while before the decision finally came to the group to leave the campsite and make way for the C.D.C. One of the families left them entirely, Rick handing them weapons to keep them safe. Daryl was riding in the truck with Ariel and the little girl Sophia.

Daryl had been annoyed with Ariel from the moment he saw her in the woods. Worst was, she really thought that he hadn't noticed her tailing him from the beginning. He let her have that, he let her think that she had the upper hand on him in the forest. He thought he did that because it was better for people to underestimate him, to think less of him and then surprise them at the last second.

That's what he told himself.

Then when he saw how happy it made her that she truly believed she had snuck up on him, he just didn't want to take that smile away from her.

That of course, made him all the angrier.

Daryl Dixon was many things, but he was not a man who cared about someone's feelings. He spoke how he wanted to everyone without caring about the consequences. But every time she was in front of him, trying to calm him down and talk to him, he felt his insides turn to jell-o. He wanted to kill so many times, to punch so many people in the face, but then she was in front of him with her blue eyes and her brown skin and her dark hair and he wanted to punch himself instead.

Yet he was the one who kept calling for her, telling her to follow, deciding with Rick, Glenn and T-Dog to fight for her and the guns when she had been captured. She had backed him, had fought for him and his brother, and because of that the desire to keep her close had settled in him.

He hated it.

This was the zombie apocalypse; this wasn't a time to start caring for people, not when he already couldn't find his brother.

_Idiot_, the annoying voice in his head said, _it's the end of the world. If you aren't going to start caring for people now, you're going to lead an even more shitty life than you already did._

He sighed, but it came out much louder than he intended. When Ariel looked at him with a smile and a questioning gaze, he snapped, "What?"

"What?" she repeated. "You're the one who sighed."

"Just tired is all." he mumbled. "Been one long ass day."

"Daryl, language!" she said, covering Sophia's ears. She giggled for the first time all day.

Sophia took Ariel's hands away and looked up at Ariel. "Not the first time I hear that Ariel."

Ariel smiled at the little girl and Daryl had to look away. He was feeling very claustrophobic in this truck. She was too pretty and too nice, and Daryl didn't understand women the way he should have. He knew she was teasing him to get under his skin, but he didn't know what that was to her.

_Probably nothing_, the meaner voice told him, this once sounded an awful lot like his father and Merle, _why the fuck would she like a hillbilly like you. She's probably smart; you could barely make it out of high school. Don't even use full sentences properly._

Daryl's fingers tightened on the steering wheel.

"Hey," Ariel said. "Are you okay?"

"M'fine." he mumbled. "You?" then he cursed himself because he hadn't wanted to ask even though he wanted to know.

"Been one long day." she agreed, holding Sophia's hand. "And how are you doing sweetheart?"

Sophia shrugged, holding the doll that the girl from the other family had given her. "I'm tired."

"Ya well, don't fall asleep just yet." Daryl said. "We're here."

Sophia tensed visibly and Ariel held her hand, putting a finger to her lips to assure her that she had to be quiet. They got out of the truck, following the others. Daryl made sure he stuck close by Ariel. He looked over her body to make sure she was moving properly and she wasn't still sore. She seemed to be okay. He would make sure she stayed that way.

"Stay close." he whispered.

Ariel looked surprised, so he made sure not to look at her face. He couldn't see whether or not she nodded. There were bodies all around them, dead for a long time. It smelt horrible, but Daryl had grown used to the smell now, after all this time. It was easy to block it out if he had too, being a hunter, he came across unpleasant smells all the time.

They walked forward to the building, reaching it slowly, Daryl could see from a distance that it was locked and shuttered.

Shane was pounding on the door, but T-Dog had already given up. "There's nobody here."

Rick shook his head. "Then why are these shutters down?"

Daryl, who was keeping watch, told them quickly. "Walkers!"

Lori took Rick's hand. "Baby come on!"

Daryl's heart pounded as Ariel took out her dagger, but all he could think to himself was _no_. He shot the walker in the head. "You led us into a graveyard!" he yelled to Rick.

Ariel glared at him. "Daryl shut up! He made a call!"

"It was the wrong damn call!" he shouted in Ariel's face. He hated her right then, for getting in his face, for taking Rick's side. She looked at Rick like he moved the sun and the moon, like he was the one who put the stars up at night. It made him want to hate Rick, but that was hard too. Rick was inherently good, so Daryl did what he was trained to do, be mean enough to people until they start to hate him.

So in this moment, he hated them both.

"We need to go." Daryl snarled. "I ain't havin' you get eatin' by walkers."

Lori nodded. "Daryl is right, we need to go, and we cannot be this close to the city after dark." While they began to argue, Sophia held on tight to Ariel. Rick said something about the camera, but Daryl had turned watching the walkers. Ariel was close to him.

"We can leave now." he said.

"You didn't leave me, we aren't leaving them."

"I wanted to leave you." he said, getting ready to shoot another arrow at a walker.

"I forced you to bring me along." she agreed.

"No," he said bitterly, looking back as Rick started to yell and sob. "Rick did."

For a moment, Daryl thought he achieved his attention, to hurt her. That was the only way to keep a safe distance from this girl, make sure to push her away as much as possible. But all she did was speak low to him, with a kindness in her eyes that he wanted to erase. Somehow her words, so soft, drowned out Rick's screams.

"Yet you're the one who seems to want me by his side, not Rick."

Daryl didn't have time to figure out what that meant. The doors of the C.D.C had opened.

* * *

**i own nada, nothing, zip.  
hope you enjoy and like it and review. next chapter we explore the darknesses that dwell within our characters *muhahahhahahahahaha***


	5. Chapter 4

**mention of self harm, paragraph starts and ends with ***

* * *

**Chapter 4 -**

Daryl itched to move closer to Ariel and Sophia once they were inside the C.D.C but Shane had asked him to cover the back and he did as he was told, because he was a good shot and had eyes like a hawk. Still, no matter how angry he was at Ariel, he wanted to be sure she was safe. He knew he was being childish, because Rick had a wife and Ariel didn't look like someone who was ready to wreck something like that, but anger and hate was all Daryl knew.

A gun cocked, and Daryl's heart leapt out of his chest. He turned to look at a blonde man coming down the stairs, gun ready. Daryl held his close, moving carefully towards Ariel and Sophia.

"Anybody infected?" he asked.

Rick nodded. "One of our group was. He didn't make it."

"Why are you here? What do you want?"

"A chance."

Daryl looked over at Ariel who was looking at Rick in the way that she always did, like God had sent him to her. That he was the man who fixed things, who brought them to safety. Which, he had, but still, Daryl hated him for it. Or at least, he tried to; he found that hating Rick Grimes was becoming an impossible thing to do. _After all_, he thought bitterly, _Rick Grimes wanted to go back for Merle too. _

"That's asking an awful lot these days."

"I know."

The man looked them over for a moment before deciding. "You all submit to a blood test. That's the price of admission."

Rick sighed in relief, and Ariel patted Sophia's shoulders. "We can do that."

"You got stuff to bring in, you do it now. Once this door closes, it stays closed."

Ariel kneeled by Sophia and told her softly. "Stay here with Lori while I go and get our things."

Sophia shook her head so hard Daryl thought she might crack it. "No, no, no..." she kept repeating.

"Sophia, I won't be long."

"No, please." she begged, sobbing.

Daryl moved forward, speaking lowly. He didn't want to move closer to them but his legs were acting without his permission. He cursed in his mind the whole five steps over. "I got it." he mumbled. "I'll get your stuff."

Ariel sighed, smiling in thanks. Daryl nodded and went with the other men back outside to retrieve everything that their hands could carry. Once they were back inside, the man said,

"Vi, seal the main entrance. Kill the power up here."

As the shutters closed and locked them inside, Daryl felt his body relax for the first time in days. For the first time they weren't going to be outside where a walker could come up behind them at any moment. Maybe tonight they would rest a little easier.

"Rick Grimes." Rick held out his hand.

"Dr. Edwin Jenner."

He led them to the elevator where they all packed in, looking like some kind of weird group in a comedy show. Daryl was stuffed in the corner next to Daryl and Sophia, the butt of his gun hoisted on his thigh, pointing out upwards. He tilted it lightly towards the doctor, because Daryl Dixon did not trust anybody. He stared at him through his narrowed eyes and ignored the way Ariel's side was pressed against his.

"Doctors always go around packing heat like that?" he asked.

"There were plenty left lying around. I familiarized myself." he looked around at them. "But you look harmless enough." then down at Carl. "Except you, I'll have to keep my eye on you."

When the elevator door opened he led them down a spacious hall. Daryl made sure he stayed to the back, Sophia walking alongside Carl and Lori. He bit his lip like he always did when he was nervous, watching Ariel wander to the back.

"Hey," she said softly. "I'm sorry about before, telling you to shut up like that."

"S'fine." he mumbled.

"No, I shouldn't have yelled, we were all just stressed."

"Don't gotta apologize to me." he told her, feeling like a piece of dirt. "You wanna go stand by Rick Grimes, be my guest."

"Why do you keep bringing Rick up?" she lowered her voice, staring at him. "And Rick got us to safety, excuse me if I appreciate that." she snapped, picking up her pace and grabbing Sophia's hand.

Daryl swore under his breath and wished someone would hit him over the head with a bulldozer. He walked into another room in which the doctor said, "Vi, bring up the lights in the big room."

The room lit up and Daryl could see a bunch of computers and counter tops, all white, with a huge screen in the front.

"Welcome to zone five." he said.

"Where is everybody?" Rick asked. "The other doctors, the staff?"

"I'm it, it's just me here."

Ariel looked up at the ceiling. "Well, you and your computer." when Rick turned to look at her with question, she looked at him as though he was missing something obvious. "Vi, the thing he's talking to, it's obviously a computer."

Rick looked back at him. "So, you're all that is left?"

Jenner nodded. "I'm sorry."

* * *

By the time dinner came around, Daryl was feeling a little bit better. Whether it was because of the wine he had taken to drinking straight from the bottle, or the food that had settled in his stomach, his mood had definitely improved.

"You know," Dale said chuckling. "In Italy, children have a little bit of wine with dinner, and in France!"

Lori was smiling. "Well, when Carl is in Italy or France, he can have some then."

His eyes shifted when he saw Ariel get up from her place next to Sophia who looked like she was having a good time herself, and she walked over to Daryl, smiling softly.

She jumped next to him on the counter that he was sitting on and held her hand out for the bottle. He was nervous and was ready for her to yell or maybe smash his head with it, but he gave it to her anyway.

"I forgive you." was what she said, and she took a drink and then gave it back to him.

Daryl did not say a word. He lifted the bottle to his lips again to feel the warm liquid trickle down his throat.

"You know," and she was smiling in that childish way of hers that he hated. It made his stomach tighten. "It's kind of like we just kissed." she tapped the rim of the bottle.

Daryl rolled his eyes. _Oh yeah_, he thought, _she's over it._ He jumped off the counter and went over to Glenn seeing that he was about to pass up on some wine. "Not you, Glenn."

"What?"

"Keep drinking, little man. I want to see how red your face can get." Daryl smiled, he couldn't help it.

* * *

Ariel loved seeing Daryl like this. She watched him from her spot on the counter where she had been sitting with him, pouring a glass for Glenn, grinning at him with his head sideways. She had not seen him playful, but it was a nice sight to see. _Right_, her inner voice snapped, _because his smile is the only thing that gets you going_.

Ariel allowed her eyes to sweep over Daryl, which she would not have done if she were sober or next to him. He was all man, this one, strong arms, not too muscular but enough so that she figured he probably was outside a lot, even before the end of the world. She liked him with no sleeves; he looked like he belonged in some southern country film, on a horse with a cowboy hat.

Rick stood up and clinked his glass, snapping her away from Daryl's physical appearance and back to reality. "It seems to me we haven't thanked our host properly."

T-Dog raised his glass. "He is more than just our host."

Daryl raised his bottle while everyone cheered and said, "Booyeah!" which promptly set Ariel into a fit of giggles.

He turned to face her and smiled, walking forward to her. "How about you," he titled the bottle in her direction. "Need a fill?"

"Sure do," she grabbed the bottle, and then, before she knew what was happening, her confidence got the better of her. "Though, it's not wine that I need to be filled with." she stared into his blue eyes as she lifted the bottle to her lips, watching the shocked look playing over Daryl's face. This time, she tilted her head just as he had done to Glenn and jumped off the counter, placing the bottle in his hands gently, and moving back to Sophia.

When she sat down, Sophia whispered, "Daryl is staring at you."

Ariel smiled. "Good."

Shane, who did not seem to be as in good of a mood as everyone else, stared at his glass while he spoke, "So when are you gonna tell us what the hell happened here, doc?"

Ariel rolled her eyes, her arm around Sophia. "Way to kill the mood Shane."

"Well come on, all the other doctors that were supposed to be figuring out what happened, where are they?"

"We're celebrating Shane, no need to do this now."

"Whoa wait a second, that's why we're here right? This was your move, supposed to find all the answers. Instead we found him, found one man. Why?"

Jenner looked around at them. "Well, when things got bad, a lot of people just left. Went off to be with their families. And when things got worse, when the military cordon got overrun, the rest bolted."

"Every last one?"

"No, many couldn't face walking out the door. They opted out. There was a rash of suicides. That was a bad time."

"Except you." Ariel said. "That's good of you, still trying to help."

Glenn stared at Shane. "Dude, you are such a buzzkill, man."

* * *

Daryl lay in his bed feeling disgusting and ashamed. The wine had settled enough to make him drunk enough but not too bad that he wouldn't remember anything in the morning. It was pleasant though, the feeling of being drunk. But Daryl always did his best not to get too bad when he drank, he knew what people were like when they had too much of a good thing. Too much of something that made them forget about the people around them. When they got too bad, they hurt others, Daryl knew that by experience.

That wasn't why he felt the way he did. He had enjoyed the shower a little _too _much. He had thought about her words over and over again in his mind, listening to her say that it wasn't the wine she wanted in her. So he thought of that in the shower and relieved himself of the pain in his groin. He thought about what it would be like to have himself inside her, all the way, claiming her, tasting her skin on his tongue.

He shivered and felt his groin tighten again. He was so uncomfortable. Daryl tapped his bare stomach, sitting up in the cot and made she his pants were buckled before going over to the door. When he opened it he couldn't help but chuckle because Ariel was standing by it getting ready to knock.

"Hi." he said.

"Hey." she smiled. She looked down at his bare chest, and then he remembered that he was half naked and he panicked. Before she could take too long to look, he quickly jolted to the floor and grabbed his tank top, throwing it over his head. She walked in, looking disappointed that he had done so, sitting on the floor while he sat on his cot.

"Where's Sophia?" he asked.

"Asleep." she sighed, her eyes a little glassy from the wine. "Read her a book, well I tried, couldn't see all the words properly."

"You're drunk." he grinned. His smile was short lived, once she got up and walked over to him, sitting on the cot with him.

"I want to ask you something." she said. When Daryl didn't say anything, she took it as a go and continued, "Why do you always bring up Rick?"

Daryl didn't want to talk about this. "Why do you gotta say every little thing that's on your mind?"

"Don't give me attitude hot stuff."

"Stop calling me that."

She smiled and put her hands up in defeat. "Alright, alright...so, you going to tell me?"

***"How bout you tell me somethin'?" he snapped. "Tell me why you scratch your arms till you almost bleed, or why you didn't even try to fight your way out when those Mexicans got you, or why you gotta be so damn nice to everyone all the damn time." He didn't know at which point he had gotten up. "How about you say somethin' you mean instead of jokin' all the time or makin' stupid ass comments."

"I always say what I mean Dixon." she said, and he was sad to see her smile go. This is what happened when he drank, he turned even meaner than he already was. It ran in the Dixon family.

"Go on then." he growled.

Ariel crossed her arms. "Why do you hate that I'm so nice to everyone? Shouldn't some people be nice in such a crappy world?"

"You ain't gonna survive bein' nice all the time."

"I did this long."

"Yeah, cause you found me!" he exclaimed, before adding sarcastically. "Oh, and Rick, we'd best not forget him."

Now he had made her angry. "You want to know why I'm so nice to people all the time?" she yelled in his face. They were probably waking up the whole C.D.C but neither one of them seemed to care. "Because I had to deal with assholes my whole childhood. I was bullied, and wanted to die and disappear and sleep for a thousand years because I was made fun of and beaten up. Where I came from, boys didn't care about hitting girls. So I scratch my arms because when I get nervous, I don't yell at other people like some loud mouth redneck, I scratch myself instead!"

"Like that's any better." he snapped.

"You don't get to look at me and judge me, or ask me why I like to joke around or am nice to people all the time. It's better than pretending like you don't give a shit about anything!"***

"If I didn't give a shit, I would have left you to those damn Mexicans." he growled.

"Exactly," and this time she was smiling again but Daryl didn't know why. "You keep yelling at me and telling me off or giving the cold shoulder, but you're the one who always comes back for me. Why don't you keep that in mind next time you want to blow up in my face?"

She made to walk away, but Daryl caught her arm and twisted her around. She looked frightened for a moment, her wrist caught in his hand, and that hurt Daryl on a level he did not ever experience. "Don't want you to be afraid of me." he said.

"I'm not." she moved closer to him, putting her hand on his. "I want to be your friend."

Daryl let go of her wrist. There was that word, 'friend'. _I guess she doesn't mean everything she says, can't blame her...she wouldn't want a guy like me to like her that way, especially not have sex with her_.

"By the way," she said, trying to make him smile. "Rick is my friend too. I don't like him that way, I respect him. I know you do too, otherwise you would have punched him in the face by now."

Before Daryl could say anything, Ariel lifted herself on her toes and kissed him on his cheek, too close to his lips. "Goodnight Daryl."

_Friends don't do that_, he thought before he climbed into his cot.

* * *

"Give me playback of TS-19." Jenner said the following day. Ariel was doing her best not to fall asleep. "Few people ever got a chance to see this, very few."

"Is that a brain?" asked Carl.

"An extraordinary one. Not that it matters in the end...take us in for E.I.V."

_ "Enhanced internal view_."

The screen Jenner was showing them showed the inside of the brain with a bunch of lights everywhere. Ariel was doing her best to pay close attention but could not help her thoughts that ran away with her. They ran all the way to Daryl who was standing but a meter away with his arms crossed. Sophia was pressed against her, so Ariel had her arms wrapped around her. It was nice always having Sophia with her; it was like having a little sister.

"What are those lights?" Shane asked.

"It's a person's life...experiences, memories. It's everything. Somewhere in all that organic wiring, all those ripples of light, is you, the thing that makes you unique and human."

Daryl was staring at the screen. "You don't make sense ever?"

"Those are synapses, electric impulses in the brain that carry all the messages. They determine everything a person says does or thinks from the moment of birth to the moment of death."

Ariel frowned. "That got depressing really quickly." she stared at the screen. "This is someone who died?"

Jenner nodded. "Yes. Test subject nineteen. Someone who was bitten and infected and volunteered to have us record the process. Vi, scan forward to the first event."

"_Scanning to first event_."

"What is that?" Glenn asked.

"It invades the brain like meningitis. The adrenal glands hemorrhage, the brain goes into shutdown, then the major organs. Then death, everything you were or everything you will be...gone."

Sophia held Ariel's hand. "That's what happened to my mom and dad."

Ariel squeezed it tighter. "Mine too sweetheart." Daryl shifted his position to lean a little closer to her, for which she was grateful. Even though they weren't touching, she was grateful for it anyway, to have him a little bit closer.

Jenner had already gone on to the second stage. "The resurrection times vary widely. We had reports of it happening in as little as three minutes. The longest we heard of was eight hours. In case of this patient, it was two hours, one minute and seven seconds."

As the little red light moved, Lori was in shock. "It restarts the brain?"  
"No, just the brain stem. Basically, it gets them up and moving."

"But they're not alive?" Rick asked.

"You tell me."

"It's nothing like before. Most of that brain is dark."

"They're gone." Ariel said, looking at the scan with as much apathy as I could manage. "That's not a person, they're gone. Look at the frontal lobe, the human pieces don't come back. If all that is dead, you aren't what you were." she jumped when a line went straight through the skull. "Christ!" she exclaimed. "What the fuck?" then she cursed again on accident, covering Sophia's ears _after_ she swore.

"He shot his patient in the head." Andrea said "Didn't you?"

Ariel breathed in and Daryl looked at her sideways, his arms still crossed. "You good?"

She didn't answer, only held on to Sophia tighter as the computer closed everything down. Andrea moved closer to the doctor, looking worn and tired and quite frankly, on the verge of tears. "You have no idea what it is, do you?"

"It could be microbial, viral, parasitic, fungal."

"Or the wrath of God?" Jaqui asked.

"There is that."

"Somebody must know something, somebody somewhere? How can you not know?"

"Everything went down." Jenner explained. "Communications, directives, all of it. I've been in the dark for almost a month."

"So it's not just here." Andrea confirmed. "There's nothing left anywhere? Nothing? That's what you're really saying, right?"

Daryl turned away, rubbing his hands to his eyes. "Man, I'm gonna get shit-faced drunk, again."

"Oh, that'll help." Ariel murmured.

"I'll put some in you and then we'll see." he mumbled, then gave her a look when she was about to reply with something dirty. She took his look and put her jokes away, knowing that this was most definitely _not_ the time.

"Dr. Jenner," Dale said. "I know this has been taxing for you and I hate to ask one more question, but, that clock, it's counting down. What happens at zero?"

Ariel shook her head. "Dale, never ask those type of questions. Don't you know that in every movie and television show ever created in the history of time, that when the big red numbers reach zero, _something explodes?_"

Rick looked at Jenner when he didn't speak. "She's right isn't she?"

When Jenner didn't speak, Daryl glared at him. "Hey man, he's talkin' to you." And as soon as he said it, Daryl looked up, the lights turning off.

"Zone five is shutting itself down." Jenner said.

"What the hell's that mean?" Daryl called. "What do you mean it's shutting itself down? How can a building do anything?"

"You'd be surprised."

"Like your friend said when the big red numbers get to zero, it all goes to hell."

Daryl shook his head. "This is bullshit."

Rick turned, "Lori, grab our things. Everybody, get your stuff. We're getting out of here now!"

"C'mon," Daryl put his hand on the small of Ariel's back, pushing her forward with Sophia. They all stopped when they heard the alarm blaring, the time clock going on the big screen that they had thirty minutes left.

Ariel grabbed Daryl's wrist, looking ahead. "Daryl." she whispered.

The door was barricaded, a huge transparent seal coming over it.

"NO!" Glenn yelled. "Did you just lock us in? He just locked us in."

Daryl turned and undid himself from Ariel. "You son of a bitch!"

"Shane!" Rick yelled.

But Ariel ran forward to Daryl, grabbing his arms. "DARYL!" she yelled.

"Let me go!" he yelled.

"No!" she pushed him away, putting her hands on the sides of his face. "Hey, enough look at me!" she told him while Rick and Shane dealt with Jenner. "Come on," she was doing her best not to cry, to stay strong in the face of danger. Daryl's eyes were looking at hers, his chest heaving angrily. "You need to stay calm, okay, please, for me?"

Daryl backed away but did not make a move for Jenner. He backed away just in time for Sophia to run to Ariel, and Jenner to stand up and yell at Rick. "Do you know what this place is? We protected the public from very nasty stuff! Weaponized smallpox! Ebola strains that could wipe out half the country! Stuff you don't want getting out! Ever!"

"Sophia," Ariel said, knowing where this conversation was going. "Go to Lori, _now_."

She nodded and ran to her, and Ariel grabbed Daryl's attention and ran towards the axes on the floor, picking them up and walking over to the door, beginning to pound against it. "I will not die here, not like this." she muttered.

"Hey, we got this." he snapped. "Rick, Rick is gonna get us out of here."

Ariel looked at him, pausing in her movements to try and break down the door, knowing that for Daryl to say that, he was either losing so much hope that he was putting it all on Rick or he truly believed that they did indeed, have the situation under control.

"OPEN THE DAMN DOOR!" Daryl yelled, turning while Ariel kept trying to cut through. Shane and T-Dog joined them quickly, but Ariel, though she had her fair share of strength was starting to lose it. She was a fast runner, but that was all.

"We can't," Ariel breathed, nearly collapsing. "It's too much."

Daryl walked back in a fit of anger, Ariel not far behind him. She went to Sophia, watching uninterestingly as Daryl made a move for Jenner, the axe above his head yelling, "Well, your head ain't!"

"Let him kill him." Ariel snapped, sitting next to Lori, Carl and Sophia. "It'll do us all a favor."

Jenner gave her a look while Daryl moved back to the door and try to get it open. "What?" she challenged. "Do you think, do you really think that this makes you a good guy? Because you're forcing us to die here instead of out there? None of us deserve to die like this, especially against our will."

"One tiny moment," he said softly. "A millisecond and no pain. Wouldn't it be better to just hold your loved ones and wait for the clock to run down?"

"You're lying." Rick said to him. "There's hope, otherwise you would have taken out with everyone else. You chose a hard path."

"It doesn't matter."

"It does matter."

Ariel got up while Rick and Jenner had their speeches with each other, grabbing Sophia to follow. She made her stay by the railing with her doll, crying, while she picked up the axe and helped Daryl continue his work.

"Rick will get us out." she agreed.

Daryl only grunted harder and struck against it again. Only seconds later, it opened, and Ariel laughed, grabbing Daryl's hand in joy. She turned around, Daryl yelling for the others, Ariel grabbing Sophia and running with her.

"Stay by me." Daryl told her as they caught up. "You hear me?"

Ariel did not joke or smile, she nodded and whispered; "Okay." and she kept by him until they walked up the stairs and the men tried to go through the windows, attempting to break it. Ariel was going through their bags, looking for something, _anything _that might help.

It was in Rick's bag when she found it.

"RICK!" she yelled, half laughing. "RICK!"

He ran for her and looked in her bag, grabbing the grenade and running over to the window immediately, putting it next to the window and running away as it burst. She covered Sophia as the glass broke, Daryl grabbing her by her arm to hoist her up.

"Come on." he growled, running by her, out the window.

They ran quickly through the field, Rick, Shane and Daryl hitting the zombies square in the head, never missing a shot. Daryl, Ariel and Sophia ran swiftly to his truck, climbing in quickly. As Ariel held Sophia's head against her chest, she watched Andrea and Dale make it out of the C.D.C right before it burst into flames.

* * *

_**hope you guys enjoyed! season two is up next and Ariel and Daryl will be getting a lot more alone time, and friendship arc with Rick and Ariel will be up and coming too! reviews are welcomed :)**_


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5 -**

Ariel had the side of her face pressed against Daryl's back, her arms wrapped around his stomach as they rode on the motorcycle in front of the others. Sophia was tucked safely away in Rick's car with Lori and Carl.

Daryl was warm and strong and Ariel liked the feeling of his body so much that she imagined what it would be like to fall asleep on him. She wasn't a fan of the leather vest with wings that pressed between her and his back, but she appreciated him allowing her to ride with him. Or rather, appreciated him demanding it.

_"You bet your ass you'll be ridin' with me." _he had told her, no room for discussion in his eyes. _"You hold on and you don't let go, got it?_"

She didn't argue, not when it gave her a chance to be close to him.

"God damn," she heard Daryl say. She looked up and watched him attempt to weave slowly through after Dale asked him if he saw a way through. She had her chin on his shoulder, looking over with him; through the cars slowly he went, leading the others.

It looked like a ghost town of cars, abandoned and empty, telling stories of a different time. She jumped a little when a noise behind her sounded, and she looked back to see the RV lagging from the radiator. She pinched Daryl's stomach, signaling him to stop. As he did, she undid herself from him, moving off the bike.

"Good ride ain't it?" he looked at the bike appreciatively.

"Not what I would have liked to ri−"

Daryl pinched her lips. "Don't even think of finishin' that sentence."

She laughed and walked over to Dale and the others while Daryl already started looking in cars.

T-Dog was in the middle of his sentence, "...siphon more fuel from these cars for a start."

"Maybe some water?" Sophia met Ariel in the crowd and hugged her. "Or food?"

"This is a graveyard." Lori said. "I don't know how I feel about this."

"Well," Ariel cocked her head. "Unless we want to be a part of this graveyard we should start looking for things to gather up. Scavenger Dixon there already started."

"Shut up." he mumbled, his head in the rear window of a car.

Ariel grinned. "Come on," she grabbed one of the large red containers to hold the gas and followed Daryl. Sophia followed behind.

"It's nice out today." Sophia said, with her arms out.

Daryl snorted. "Minus the dead people." he put an arrow in his mouth, Ariel hitting him on the arm. He just shrugged, opening the latch of the car where the gas was, Ariel pumping the gas through the hose.

Daryl mumbled something, but of course Ariel didn't understand him. She took the arrow out of his mouth and stared at him smiling. "What?"

"Go to Lori." he told her, grabbing his arrow back. "I got this, T-Dog can help. Look for some clothes with Lori or somethin'."

"I can help you here."

"You're tired, and got this one." he nodded at Sophia. "S'fine, go."

"Okay," she grinned, touching his wrist. He watched her as she went.

This was how they were now after what happened at the C.D.C. Whether it was from almost dying again or from their blow up in their drunken night, something had led them to this bridge in their friendship. He allowed her to touch him, not in the ways she would have liked to do, but his hands, his wrists, patting his thigh or grabbing his arm if she was nervous. It was better than scratching her arms, and Daryl did not seem to mind picking up the pieces that she left behind. Everyone had to be a little broken in the zombie apocalypse.

"Find anything useful?" she walked up to Lori.

Lori shrugged. "Just some clothes."

"That'll be a nice change though, right." she grinned. She looked up, Rick was running towards them. "Hey Rick!"

"Lori, under the cars!" he exclaimed. "Carl, Sophia get down now!"

Ariel made to move towards Sophia but Lori grabbed her, pulling her under the car with her. "No," she tried to mutter, but Lori put her hands over Ariel's mouth. Ariel could not stop staring at Sophia, under one car all by herself. Then she thought of Daryl and her fear only increased. Ariel held Lori's hands against her own, praying that they would all make it out of this.

The walkers past with their snarls and moaning, dragging their feet to close to the cars for Ariel's comfort. Not once did she take her eyes off Sophia. She promised this girl that she would take care of her, and she intended to keep that promise.

_Where's Daryl?_

Once the walkers made their way across the road, Lori and Ariel undid their hands from each other, and Ariel watched Sophia move from under the cars. Ariel gasped when another walker went for her and she ran away off the road and into the forest.

"Rick!" she yelled.

Rick jumped over the side of the road and tumbled down, Ariel about to follow. "Sophia!" she yelled.

Daryl came up behind Ariel and held her back from jumping over to follow Rick. He locked one arm around her tiny body completely, holding her tightly to him, his body pressed against hers and his hand on her mouth.

"Quiet," he told her in her ear, his breath hot on her ear. "Or else they'll all come back." he didn't let go of her mouth until she nodded. He moved his hand down to let his arms join together, still holding her against him. They both watched the forest, waiting for Rick to return. Ariel hadn't realised that the reason why Daryl was holding her was because she was shaking.

* * *

"Sure this is the spot?" Daryl asked as they looked inside the small cave. Ariel, he, and Rick were standing in the water while Glenn was on the grass. Daryl was trying to focus on tracking instead of the way Ariel was starting to scratch herself or the way she was shaking. He had done her best to hold onto her before, and she had seemed to be okay when they were making their way down the trail, but once she stood still it was like she came undone.

"I left her right here." Rick said. "I drew the walkers way off in that direction up the creek. "

"Without a paddle, seems where we've landed."

"She was gone by the time I got back here. I figured she just took off and ran back to the group. I told her go that way and keep the sun on her left shoulder."

Daryl waved his hand at Glenn. "Hey, short round, why don't you step off to one side? You're mucking up the trail."

Ariel was shaking her head. "It wouldn't have processed, not while she was that afraid."

Rick grabbed both of her hands with his. "She understood me."

Ariel was having so much trouble keeping her tears back, Daryl could tell by the way her voice was uneven. "She was scared, she was on the run and tired and..."

"Hey," Rick said sternly. "We will find her."

Ariel looked into his blue steady eyes and saw that he was just as worried as she was. She nodded, but did not let go of his hand. She looked at Daryl who was looking around like a hunting dog. He was doing his very best not to get jealous of Rick anymore, not after everything that they had just been through. After all, it was his motorcycle that she was riding on the back of.

"Got clear prints right here," he pointed out, privately hoping that his tracking skills would impress her. "She did like you said, headed back to the highway." He grabbed Glenn's hand to help him out of the small trench before reaching down to help up Ariel. She was so light; he often forgot that she wasn't too much younger than him. "Let's spread out, make our way back."

Daryl led them, Ariel close on his tail, Rick in third and Glenn in the back. They cowered down between low trees, coming close to the ground every time Daryl saw something worth looking at. It felt good to him, not to be a leader but to be someone of importance to these people. It felt good to help. Besides, how could he not? He had been lost once, and he wished someone with his skills would have looked for him.

"She was doin' just fine till right here. All she had to do was keep goin', she veered off that way."

"Why would she do that?" Glenn asked.

Daryl saw Ariel begin to panic. "Maybe she saw another walker."

"I don't see any other footprints," he said immediately. "Just hers."

Glenn looked around. "What do we do?"

Daryl stood up. "Me and Ariel will go on lookin', you and Glenn go back. Keep em busy."

Rick looked at her. "Are you okay with that?"

Ariel nodded, biting her lip. "I'd rather be looking for her than back there. I need to find her, I _need_..."

Rick nodded and kissed her temple, sending a sudden flame of jealousy and rage through Daryl. He looked away and had to tell himself over and over again that they were only friends. _For God's sake you idiot, he has a wife_..._cept people cheat on their wives all the time, your daddy did that too_.

Daryl hated thinking.

* * *

"Tracks are gone." Ariel sighed, leaning against a tree as Daryl kicked aside the walker they had taken down.

"No, they're faint, but they ain't gone. She came through here."

"How do you know?"

"Master tracker," he pushed her playfully with his elbow. "Wanna help?" he looked down at the walker.

"Help with what?"

"You think I took that walker down just for fun? Gotta check if it had lunch."

Ariel punched him in the arm. "Daryl!"

"What?" he backed away, leaning by the walker. "Wanna help or not? Rick could have stayed behind, would get this done a whole lot faster."

"Oh, thanks." she snapped, kneeling by him. Daryl stood up and handed her his knife. He took his gloves off and pushed them to her chest. "What?" she asked.

"Gotta teach you somethin' don't I? You gained weight some, since you started on with us, at least you don't look like death now."

"And cutting over a walker is going to do that?"

"It'll teach you how to kill, skin and gut, yeah."

Ariel wrinkled her nose. Daryl almost smiled, he liked watching her do that. "That's disgusting."

"That's huntin'," he corrected. He took the knife and put the handle in his mouth, putting the gloves on her. Their gaze held and Daryl felt the familiar tightening in his pants that he always got when she looked at him for any moment longer than a few seconds. How ridiculous and untimely it was. The motorcycle ride though, that had been the worst. He did not think that it would have been so bad, but once he felt her entire body aligned with his, her chest pressed against his back, well, it nearly sent him tumbling off the bike.

These were not the kind of problems Daryl had intended on having during the apocalypse.

"Get one foot on each side." he instructed from the sidelines. He had thought of going behind her to show her but was in no way confident enough to do something like that. Rick, Merle or Shane maybe, but not Daryl, no, Daryl stayed on the side.

"Bend a little." he told her.

Ariel smirked, and Daryl saw the dirty joke coming before she had to say it. "Trying to get a good view Dixon?"

He frowned while she laughed, because that was the only way to disregard the heat on his neck. "Gut it open, right down the middle and then one across."

"God, you are no fun."

He rolled her eyes and watched her gut the walker exactly as he had instructed. By the time she was done, she stumbled off onto the side throwing the gloves to Daryl. She retched, but no vomit actually came out. Daryl stared at her, going over to the walker and sticking his hands inside. "You good?" he called out.

"Ugh," was her answer. "Never make me do that again. I'm a lady, for one thing."

He snorted. "Right. Thought women could do anything men could."

"We can." She walked back over and collapsed on the ground, watching Daryl pull guts out of the zombie. She had to cover her face while she talked, hiding her eyes and her nose. Her voice came out muffled. "But that doesn't mean a man shouldn't do some things himself."

"Like gut open some walkers?" he asked, his wrist deep in the dead man.

"Like walkers." she agreed. "Find anything?" her voice cracked, she was scared of his answer.

"Guy definitely had a meal. I feel it in there." He took out the gut bag and laid it on there, ripping it open and looking through the contents. "This gross bastard had himself a woodchuck for lunch."

"Thank God." Ariel wept openly, falling on her back with her hands still over her face.

"Come on," he tapped her knee with his hand. "Let's go."

"No," she murmured. "I'd rather stay here and wither away into nothing."

Daryl leaned over her, blocking out the sunlight. He put his hands on her knees to steady himself. "Hey, you wanna find this girl or what?"

"You know I do."

"Well you ain't gonna do that lying on the ground." he took her arms and forced her up, telling her to shut up while she groaned.

"Fine," she muttered, grabbing her knife from the ground and walking after him. "But next time we're in the woods, you'd better be giving me orders to do something other than opening up a dead guy."

"Like what."

"Well, if I'm going to be on top of someone−"

"You can't think of anything else can you?" he snapped at her.

"I'm just playing hot stuff." she smiled.

_Yeah, that's exactly the problem_. "How about this, I'll teach you to use a crossbow once we find Sophia."

Ariel smiled, looking sad again when he mentioned her name. She was so odd, he thought, she was totally fine for one second before plummeting down into an almost depressive state the next. "Sounds like a plan."

"She'll be okay." he told her. "Just gotta trust me."

"I do trust you." she told him. "Daryl Dixon, I would trust you with my life."

* * *

The church bells rang loudly, and Rick, golden boy Rick was running to that church like his life depended on it. When Daryl and Ariel had returned without Sophia the night before, Ariel saw that Rick looked just as distraught as she did. He blamed himself just like she blamed herself, so they were on the same page for that. She had cried a little, and he had held her with Lori, and for a moment she felt like a child in their arms, because she knew what it felt like to lose a mother and a father but losing Sophia was like losing a little sister.

But Daryl would find her. Rick got them to places safely, but the woods were Daryl's territory, and he found find her.

"That can't be it." Shane said as they ran down the way. "Got no steeple, no bells. Rick!"

Rick, Daryl, Shane and Ariel went up to the church doors, weapons out and ready to strike. There were a perfect number of walkers inside, four, one for each of them, all sitting down in the pews. Rick went in first, Ariel and Daryl taking the same side of the row. She stuck her knife clearly in the forehead of the walker, crunching her nose as she always did. Daryl was a cat, sneaking up behind his pray and taking the zombie by surprise, getting it in one clean shot.

"SOPHIA!" Rick yelled.

The bells sounded again and Daryl was the first one out the door looking for the sound. "A timer." he said, watching Glenn undo it. "It's on a timer."

"For fuck's sake." Ariel fell onto the ground by one of the graves. "How are we not finding her. Where the hell could she have gone?"

Daryl looked down at her, walking up slowly to her while Rick went in to pray. He tapped her foot with his, frowning. "She's around, just gotta keep lookin'. I ain't gonna stop."

She smiled up at him. "I know." she put her head down on her knees, mumbling. "Sometimes, I hate my life."

"I think sometimes we all do." he sighed, sitting down next to her. "Best wait for Rick before we do anythin' else."

"Rick huh?" she smiled.

"Yeah, he ain't too bad." he allowed her. "Let me do my thing."

Ariel nodded. "I just want Sophia back." she murmured. "That was my one job you know, to keep her safe. That was all I had to do, that's what I promised her and I couldn't even do that."

"Was out of your hands." he said softly. "Rick did what he could."

"It should have been me." she said. "I should have run after her. You should have let me go."

Daryl nodded. "What would've that done? Gotten you killed?" he shook his head, leaning back against the gravestone. "No thanks. Think we've lost too many already in the past couple of days, no need to lose you too."

Ariel forced a smile, it felt like she had been doing a lot of that lately. "Aw, Daryl Dixon, how sweet."

But he was serious. "I ain't gonna let you die, Rick won't either. So suck it up and dry your eyes. We got work to do." He got up and held out his hand, waiting for her. She smiled up at him and took his hand, thinking about how beautiful change could be.


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6 -**

Ariel's legs were burning.

She was used to running sure, but it was extraordinarily hot today, more than the other days so far. But today was too hot and the sun was shining when it shouldn't have been. Not when something like this had happened.

And Daryl knew something would go wrong.

After the church, Rick and Shane decided to keep looking while Daryl led the others back through the forest. Ariel of course offered to stay behind with them, Sophia had been her responsibility just as much as Rick's. If anyone would be helping in her search, it would be her.

"_Don't like this,_" _Daryl had told her, his face full of dirt and sweat. He made it look so attractive. "Rather have you with me, least I could keep an eye on you."_

_ "I'll be fine, promise." she crossed her heart playfully with her fingers. _

_ "Don't be stupid."_

_ "Daryl, Rick's got my back."_

And not that Rick hadn't had her back, nothing happened to her on their short roundabout in the woods. Nothing to her. That was the key point.

When Carl got shot, she thought Rick's life had ended with it. The utter despair in his eyes broke her down to a million pieces. All she could think of was how they had just lost one child and now they were about to lose another. Why were these things happening to them?

So she was running through the field, helping Shane with the guns and attempting to pick up the man Otis who was lagging behind. Sweat was running down her back and she was pretty certain that it did not look as good on her as it did on Daryl.

"Christ," she looked at Shane. "You got this?" they were almost at the house, and she just wanted to see Rick.

"Go on." he snapped, angry with the situation.

She nodded and ran full speed ahead, reaching the house before Rick could even step outside. The other two men were almost there, they would ask the questions that she couldn't. She didn't want to hear if it was bad, she could barely speak. Her vocal cords were lodged somewhere and her throat had closed up. Tears spilled over before she could hold them back, and Rick, a destroyed, bloody looking Rick stumbled out of the house and into her arms.

Sure, Ariel had not known Rick long. But Rick Grimes and Daryl Dixon both had that annoying gravitational pull that forced people to fall in love with them. Rick Grimes was already her brother. Their small group of survivors was a family and right now, she had traded places with Rick. Ariel had to take care of him.

"I have you." she whispered, his head buried in her shoulder. She caressed his hair, turning sideways lightly to see that the other two men had finally reached the house. "Shane's here." she told him.

"He's still alive?" Otis asked.

Rick pulled away from Ariel, looking dazed. He wiped his hand on his forehead, spreading blood across it and she thought it was the most vulnerable thing she had ever seen him do. She held his hand as Shane wiped his forehead with a cloth like he was taking care of a child.

"Rick?" she whispered, putting a hand on the side of his face. "Where is he?"

Rick didn't say anything, just cried a little more and led them inside the home. She held his hand until they got in the room. There was an older gentleman pressing down on Carl's wound, a woman with blonde hair and a dress on and a younger woman, younger than Ariel anyway with short brown hair. She was very pretty, and holding an iv bag.

"You know his blood type?" the man asked, this had to be Hershel, the one Otis told them about.

"A positive," Rick said. "S-same as mine."

"That's fortunate. Don't wander far, I'm going to need you." he looked to Otis. "What happened?"

Otis, who clearly felt as bad as he looked, spoke in a voice that was barely above a whisper. "I was tracking a buck, bullet went through it. Went clean through..."

"The deer slowed the bullet down, which certainly saved his life, but it did not go through clean. It broke up into pieces. If I can get the bullet fragments out...and I'm counting' six..."

"I can help." Ariel said immediately. "I mean, I'm not a doctor, but I was a nurse. I can...I can do something." Rick squeezed her hand and she tried to smile, but she didn't think it worked.

* * *

"I don't know what to do." she said, her hands shaking as she disinfected herself and washed her hands thoroughly. "What do I do?"

"You do exactly what I tell you to do."

"I'm a nurse." Ariel said for the fiftieth time. "I just started before...before..." she trailed off, looking at Hershel. "What do I do?"

"You sit by me, shine the light right by the wound so I can see." he gave her a flashlight, because whatever lights were in the room were definitely not enough.

Ariel was trying not to shake, so she ignored the fact that Rick was right outside with Shane, talking and crying. She tried not to think about Daryl and Lori, Lori who didn't know about her son being shot and Daryl who had begged her to stay with him. Who had told Rick that splitting up was not a good idea.

Ariel did was she was told and watched Carl get open up so Hershel can go through the wound and look for the bullets. Nearly immediately he woke up, squirming and crying. She closed her eyes for a brief moment trying to ignore his pleas for Ariel to help him, but there was nothing she could do, nothing, not right now.

"It's alright," Maggie told her, taking the flashlight away. "I'll do it. Can you take blood?"

"What?" Ariel opened her eyes, she hadn't even noticed Rick walk in.

Carl screamed, crying out for his father. Rick, the broken man yelled, "STOP, YOU'RE KILLING HIM!"

"RICK!" Ariel yelled back, doing her very best to keep herself from crying again. She did what she did with Daryl, grabbed his face so his attention went nowhere else but to her. "Do you want him to live? I need you to sit down and shut up so I can take blood from you, do you understand me?"

Rick nodded, still crying but sat down. Ariel forced herself to stop shaking, immediately plunging the needle into Rick to get the blood she needed. When Carl stopped breathing, they both paused to look over, panic rising in them.

"He passed out." Ariel said, touching Rick's face. "Passed out from the pain, it's okay." It definitely wasn't okay, but she didn't know what else to say to him.

"Lori needs to be here." Rick whispered to her.

"Rick, I don't know the way back." her voice was failing her, crying was becoming really hard _not_ to do. There was a noise, metal against metal and Ariel knew it was the bullet. She was brushing his hair away, not that it was in his face, but she didn't know what else to do. His blood was slowly filling up the container, but if she knew Rick like she thought she did, she would not have been surprised if he got up and walked away to find his wife.

"She doesn't even know what's going on."

"Rick, hey," she murmured. "Your son needs you here, for more than just support. You are literally giving him blood."

Rick shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose with his fingers, whimpering. Ariel did not know what to do, so she kissed his other hand, the one with the iv in his arm and said a prayer.

* * *

Daryl Dixon had reached a point of annoyance that was indescribable. Though he had lost his cools with the ladies and Glenn, pointing out that he was the only one who was zen around them, he was most certainly not.

That one gunshot had scared him to no end. It was just his job to keep a level head about it. That was the last thing these people needed, or himself for that matter. Ariel had been right, Rick would take care of it.

And yet, there was certainly a feeling in his gut that he did not trust. They had been gone long, and even if they had done a few circles around to look for Sophia, Daryl was taking his time, giving the others a chance to meet up with them. If anything, _anything_ happened to Ariel, Daryl would unload on a whole lot of people.

But even Daryl couldn't avoid it. He sighed, stopping them. "There won't be light before too long, think we should call it."

"Let's head back." Andrea agreed. "How much further?"

"Not much...maybe a hundred yards as the crow flies."

"Too bad we're not crows."

Daryl nodded, walking absentmindedly along the way. He didn't want to go back, he wouldn't sleep tonight anyway, not with Sophia in the woods and still not having reunited with Ariel. Not that she was his to reunite with but still−

A scream clouded his thoughts. He turned, hearing someone yell Andrea's name, thinking, _no, no, not gonna lose another one._ He ran, his crossbow up and ready, but someone else, two people had beat him to the punch. A walker was killed and a brown haired girl had a bloody bat, showing off her kill. There was someone else next to her...

"Ariel?" he didn't care who the other girl was, or why she was here. She was back, _she was back._

"Hey hot stuff." she smiled, but it wasn't right. It didn't reach her eyes, not the way he liked. She had been crying, her eyes were swollen red, and there was...

"That blood?" he asked angrily, walking up to her and staring at her hands. She was on a horse, he realised, feeling stupid for not noticing anything beyond her. He hated this, this feeling of being completely powerless because of her. He could protect her, sure, but for how long until she kept running off without him?

"Not mine." she jumped off the horse, and she hugged him. He didn't return it, mostly because he had his crossbow in his hands but his stomach tightened all the same. She was alive, she was _okay_.

Ariel let herself go from Lori too soon and put the reins in her hand. "Lori, Rick needs you."

"W-what?" she stammered.

"Carl," and Daryl understood why Ariel could not smile right and why her eyes were red. "He's been shot. I brought the horse so you could go, I couldn't help, and it was just...they're better without me, Rick will be better with you."

_Ain't no one better without _you, Daryl thought. Daryl, feeling his breath caught from all this new information nodded once at Lori. She got up on the horse without another word, only her frightened face and took off with the girl.

Ariel was shaking, and Daryl caught her hand before she could start scratching her arms. "You know the way back?"

Ariel nodded. "Yeah, they said...they said to bring our stuff."

"Alright," Daryl nodded. Glenn looked at them holding hands, so Daryl moved it up slightly to hold her wrist. He wasn't sure it made a difference but he didn't want people making assumptions about them. They were friends, and any stupid whispers flying around would piss him off. Especially since, and sadly since, they wouldn't be true.

"She wrote it down for me." she went in her pocket to show him, as though he hadn't believed him.

"Right then, we'll make way tomorrow, yeah?"

Ariel nodded and wiped her eyes. Daryl wished he could have done it for her.

The walker, which he had presumed to be dead sat up, was groaning loudly and annoyingly. Daryl, who was losing his temper, shot his arrow at it. "Shut up."

* * *

"Shot?" Dale asked. "What do you mean, shot?"

Ariel was too tired to explain, she would soon, but once she was sitting. Daryl was in a bad mood, like he usually was, but at least wasn't taking it out on her.

"This chick rode out of nowhere like Zorro on a horse and took Lori." Glenn said.

"You let her?" Dale was surprised.

"Climb out of my ass, old man. Rick sent her; she knew Lori's name and Carl's."

"He was shot by a hunter." Ariel staggered, coming over the highway rail. She grabbed Daryl's arm to steady herself, sitting down. "Shot, he's alive but he was shot..." she shook her head, putting it in her hands. "Jesus Christ we can't even take care of the two kids that we have. What the hell are we supposed to do, we can't just take off to go to Rick, and we haven't found Sophia."

Daryl was leaning against the railing. "We'll make a sign, leave her supplies in case she makes it back." he suggested with a shrug.

Dale looked at Glenn. "You need to take T-Dog now, as soon as you can. This is not an option. That cut has gone from bad to worse; he has a very serious blood infection, get him to that farm. See if they have any antibiotics. Because if not, T-Dog will die no joke."

Daryl almost laughed. These idiots probably looked in every car on the interstate except the one thing he owned. "Keep your oily rags off my brother's motorcycle." he shot them to Dale. "Why'd you wait till now to say anythin'? Got my brother's stash." he began to look through it. "Crystal X, don't need that. Got some kick ass painkillers, doxycycline. Not the generic stuff neither. It's first class. Merle got the clap on occasion." he shrugged.

Suddenly Ariel burst into laughter, the others looking around in complete surprise. She started laughing, so loud that she had to cover her hands in order to stop herself from what seemed like her going completely insane. Tears were spilling over violently, but he wasn't sure why she was laughing.

"It's the zombie apocalypse," she was holding her stomach. "And one girl is missing, one guy is going to die by a fever and another got shot. It's the zombie apocalypse and three people that we know are going to die by what...things that happen every other day?"

Glenn stared at her with wide eyes. "She's completely lost it."

"She hasn't eaten, sun's getting to her." Daryl said, shaking his head. "Come on, get inside in the shade at least." he motioned to the RV.

"Sure thing hot stuff." she giggled, getting up. She nearly fell over and Daryl caught her, putting one arm around his neck.

"Let's go," he hoisted her inside, walking her over to the bed. "Try to sleep."

"No," she sat on the bed but held onto his wrists like a child. "No, I don't want to sleep."

"What do you want?" he asked.

"Talk to me." she told him, pulling him on the bed. He sat by her awkwardly and crossed his arms, shoving his hands under his armpits. "Tell me things about you."

Right, like Daryl would ever go down _that_ road. "Ain't nothin' worth tellin'." he mumbled.

"I don't believe that." she murmured, crossing her legs on the bed. Her stomach growled a little and she wound her arm around her stomach. Daryl got up and rummaged in the cupboards, looking for something. He found her a granola bar and unwrapped it, kneeling in front of her and handing it to her.

"No, I don't want." she whispered, wiping her eyes.

"You gotta eat somethin'." he sighed, cracking it in half. "Half a piece."

She accepted and watched him eat the other one. He fell back on his butt and stared at his granola bar, not realising that he had been hungry himself. They both finished it quickly and then took another one from the cupboard, sharing another one in silence.

"I had a dog once." she said suddenly, surprising him.

"Had a cat." he mumbled, and it surprised him that he bothered to respond. But most of the things he did around Ariel surprised him.

"You prefer cats?"

"Like both." he began to rip his wrapper into little pieces, avoiding her gaze. "Just never had a dog. Cats kinda wandered in and 'round the house, so one stayed."

"Well our pets might have gotten along. My dog was a total baby, loved other animals. Only dog around that didn't go around chasing cats." she paused, before adding. "You're kind of like a cat."

"How's that?" he looked up and wished he hadn't.

She was staring at him with her tear streaked face, her eyes even bluer than usual. Her head was propped up through her fists, with her elbows resting on the sides of her knees. "You're quiet and calm right up until someone pulls on your tail a little too hard. You're mysterious."

"Well, guess you're kinda like a dog." he leaned back so his hands were on the floor. "Excited all the time, your bark is worse than your bite too."

"Oh, is that what you think?" she laughed lightly. "Well, when we get down and dirty you'll see how awful strong my bite really is."

He frowned at her. "It's sexual harassment what you're doin'." he said lightly, though he didn't mean it.

"Do you want me to stop? I don't want you to feel uncomfortable." she asked seriously. When he didn't respond, and only looked away, she said quietly. "I give you the green light and you don't want to take it. That's why I say those things."

"There ain't no green light to take." he sighed, finally leaning all the way back and lying on the floor. He stared at the ceiling, faintly aware of Andrea coming in the RV, making too much noise and making Daryl feel even more irritated than he already was.

Daryl didn't know why he didn't take the 'green light'. He didn't know why he didn't respond to her plain and unsubtle flirtations, or why he was more than willing to hold her hand or let her grab his face in public, but when they were alone it made him physically ache to sit next to her. It made him nervous and excited all at once, made his heart race and his breath stop but also made him want to run away, far. Just get on his bike and never look back. If that's what it felt like to have real feelings for someone, Daryl wasn't sure he wanted any part of it.

Truth of it was, he wished he could be more like her. To be able to touch her for reasons other than needing to protect her. He wanted to touch her just to please himself..._no, you want to please her too. For the first time you want to be with a girl for more than just your own dick._

He slept very little, his thoughts having gone in and out of his dreams. What little sleep he did have, his dreams consisted of Ariel, naked, which made him force himself to wake up so he didn't explode right in his pants, or accidentally moan out loud.

When the sixth time of waking up came around, he nearly jumped out of his skin. He did swear loudly, Andrea not reacting at all, and Ariel, whose face was dangerously close to him, smiled softly.

"Hi," she said.

He looked at her face, and even in the moonlight he saw that she didn't feel better. Not about Sophia, not about Carl, and probably not about him either.

"I can't sleep." though she was smiling, her voice was a disaster.

He sat up, moving to the side to avoid her face getting any closer. "Bad dreams?"

"No, life is enough of a nightmare." she waved a flashlight in his face. "Want to come for a walk?"

He sighed. "Sure, ain't sleepin' too well myself anyways." he gathered his crossbow and motioned for her to get out of the rv before he did. He followed her out, looking up at Dale who sat on top of the rv.

"Hey, we're goin' for a walk. Shine some light in the forest. If she's out there, give her something to look at."

Dale didn't approve. "You think that's a good idea right now?"

"I guess we'll find out." Ariel called, saluting him.

As they walked, Daryl stayed close to her. He shone the light around, looking at her every once and a while. Her flashlight stayed in one direction, she was looking at the ground.

"Thinkin' about Carl?" he asked.

"And Sophia, and Rick and Lori..." she waved her hand to show that the list was never ending. "I had one damn job and I couldn't even do that right." she shook her head. "I'm sorry."

"Don't need to apologize."

"Do you think we'll find her?" she asked.

Daryl looked at her and then shook his head. "You got that look on your face, same as everybody else. What the hell's wrong with you people? We just starting looking. It ain't the mountains of Tibet, it's Georgia. She could be holed up in a farmhouse somewhere. People get lost and they survive, it happens all the time. It happened to you and we found you."

"You mean I found you." she smiled lightly.

"Right," he rolled his eyes, he would let her keep that fantasy.

"Except she's not like me, she's a twelve year old girl, lost and alone in a world that doesn't make sense."

"I was younger than her when I got lost. Nine days in the woods eating berries and wipin' my ass with poison oak."

"That's uncomfortable." she wrinkled her nose, and that's when he had to look away again. "Who found you?"

"No one. My old man was off on a bender with some waitress. Merle was doin' another stint in juive. Didn't even know I was gone. I made my way back through. Went straight into the kitchen and made myself a sandwich. No worse for wear. Except my ass itched something awful."

Ariel laughed, not in that hysterical, losing her mind kind of way that she had done before. She laughed like...well, like she was high. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, but I really needed that." she wiped her eyes, and he realised that she was crying again.

"Hey," he said softly. "Sophia's got people lookin' for her, that's an advantage. She's got me and you and Rick."

"No," she said softly. "She has you and Rick. I lost her, and you and Rick seem to be the only two people here who are either making the effort or are good at doing something." she paused. "Shane too, I guess, if the situation works in his favor."

"You think awful low of yourself." he shined a light in her face. "You gotta stop cryin' too, when Sophia finds you she's gonna wanna see a smile on your face, not tears."

"I'm sorry." she sighed. "I just...I need something good to happen to us. I need one good day, one really good day so I can make it through the next one. Because right now, I'm tired."

"Doesn't seem like you are, half the time."

"I put on a good show Dixon. It's just...losing Sophia, it's like losing...my parents both died." she stammered. "I know what it's like to be a lost girl in the forest. Finding you that day, you bringing me to Rick, it was like finding an angel."

Daryl muttered bitterly. "Yeah, who's the angel, me or Rick?"

"Who's the one with the wings on his vest?"

"Know what they say, don't judge a book by its cover."

"Don't worry, you proved me wrong. I thought you were the biggest asshole ever when I first met you."

"Think you were right about that one." he muttered.

"No, I wasn't. You saved my life, more than once. You risk it for me too, you're risking it right now for a girl who's nothing to you."

A rustle in the trees interrupted their conversation. Daryl raised his crossbow and shone his light in the direction that it came from. He walked over carefully, lowering it when he noticed it was a walker in the trees, someone who seemed to have hung himself.

"What the hell?" he said, walking forward to read the note pinned to the tree. "Got bit, fever hit, world gone to shit, might as well quit. Well, the dumbass didn't know enough to shoot himself in the head. Turned himself into a big swinging piece of bait, and a mess."

"You have a way with words." Ariel wrinkled her nose.

"Look at him, hanging up there like a big piñata. The other geeks came and ate all the flesh off his legs."

"Can we get out of here?" she asked. "This is probably a metaphor for something in our lives and I'm not sure I want to figure out what it is."

He grinned and followed her, pushing his elbow against her arm to get his attention. "This whole apocalypse is a metaphor."

"That's a concept I do not want to deal with." she murmured. "You know, I read a lot of books growing up. I had a whole library in my house, books everywhere. I read about these people in these worlds, in apocalypses and in wars, and I loved living in them. Then one day I woke up and I was one of those people. Except I'm not a heroine with any powers, I'm just a girl, an orphan who lost another orphan and is walking around in the middle of a night with a hunter who doesn't even want to be near her."

"That what you think?" he looked at her. This time, she shrugged and looked at him, waiting for an answer. He chewed on his lip, trying to think of the right words to say. _Don't be a fuckin' pussy_, he said to himself, _people always say it's easier to say things in the dark._ "I like you better than the rest of 'em." he mumbled quietly.

"Is that saying much?"

He scoffed. "You don't know me at all, do you?"

"You don't give people a chance to know you."

That was right, Daryl didn't. People had to earn the right to know him, even this girl. Just because she liked him, it did not give her the right to get a free pass into his life. No one got to see the scars he had just because they had a pretty face and a couple of nice words on their lips. "You know I like cats. I, um...never had coffee before."

Ariel looked at him, smiling the first real smile that he had seen all day. It was enough to give him hope that maybe she needed the sign she was hoping for from him. He was doing the best that he could for her. "What kind of monster doesn't drink coffee?" she asked with a laugh. "Tell me something else."

"Smoked a lot of cigarettes." he looked sideways at her.

"That's an early death hot stuff." she teased. "I was a nurse you know, saw some nasty stuff."

"Yeah well, hadn't exactly had time to sit down and smoke since the world ended."

"Do you miss that?"

"Smokin'? Sure, I guess. Not as much as having a bed to sleep on or food to eat every day." he thought about doing what he always did, stop the conversation and let her ramble on, but Daryl was feeling braver in the night. "What do you miss?" he hoped he didn't sound stupid saying it.

"I missed having a family, and I still miss the one I had. But I think I found a new one that suits me fine."

He looked down. "You get attached quick."

"In a world like this, how could you not?" she stopped him, putting a hand on his arm, making the electricity from her fingertips travel all the way up to his heart. "I like you Daryl Dixon, and I know you like me too, mostly because of the blush that rises up your neck every time I call you hot stuff."

He frowned and she smiled.

"I'll wait for you to be okay with liking me back though." she shrugged. "I'll wait for you to kiss me when you mean it, but know that my hand is always ready for you to hold."

She turned and started to walk away, and the night, which was so full of metaphors and brave words, made Daryl do something he would have never had done before Ariel. "I can hold your hand." he said too loud and too uncertain for it to sound smooth. "But I ain't...I ain't good at the other stuff. I ain't the type of person you think I am."

"Hey," she smiled, coming back to him. She took his hand in hers, rough against soft and held it tight. He watched their fingers weave together, and it was the most foreign thing in the world to him. "You teach me how to shoot a crossbow and I'll show you how to be good at the other stuff."

"After we find Sophia." he told her.

She smiled. "After we find Sophia."

* * *

**ok ok ok  
so this was my fave chapter so far because as promised, there is already way more alone time. next episode is the Cherokee rose, so that chapter will have plenty of alone time as well. I am however, being sure to explore the ariel/rick friendship too  
i hope you all enjoyed reading this as much as i enjoyed writing it. you all know i own nothing except her!  
please review! it always makes me smile!**


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7 -**

"Daryl," Rick called from the porch. "You okay on your own?"

"I'm better on my own, be back before dark." he called out, walking away.

"Tough luck because, um, she's been twisting my arm and she keeps saying you won't leave without her." he grinned and Daryl had to turn around so he could show Rick that he was rolling his eyes.

"Make her stay here." he called out, waving his hand, taking a few steps forward.

Rick was smiling. "Do you really think she'll listen to me?"

On cue Ariel came out, wearing shorts, combats and a plaid shirt like Daryl with no sleeves. "Hey," he called out, tugging on strap of the crossbow. "That's my shirt!"

"So what?" she called from the porch, giving a smile to Rick and a tap on his back before she bounded down the stairs. "I'm borrowing it! Come on," she tapped the dagger on her hip, before tying her hair up in a messy bun. "Let's get this show on the road."

Daryl rolled his eyes again and turned one hand on his strap and his other hand in a fist. Her hand was open, and he thought she would reach for his hand. She didn't though, and he was glad, because it would be too habitual for her to do it and he was not comfortable with it.

"So, where are we off to?"

"The creek," he told her, looking forward to the shade that the forest would provide. "Work our way from there. Was _supposed_ to be goin' by myself so I could do this quick."

"It will go quickly; you should have faith in me."

"Right." he mumbled, walking up the trail.

"Today's the day." she said, clapping her hands.

He frowned, raising an eyebrow. "Day for what?"

"To find Sophia," she shook her head. "Pay attention to me when I talk."

"I try not to."

"I noticed that." she slapped his back. "Come on, we need to be positive. No more crying, you said so yourself yesterday, we need smiles and a good attitude."

They were finally in the forest, and slowly Daryl let his fist unclench. "Don't tend to smile much, ain't got much of a reason to."

She looked down at his hand and smiled, grabbing it. She held on too tightly, like he gave her a life force, which he didn't like. Not that he didn't enjoy being wanted, but he didn't like the idea of being responsible for someone's happiness. Daryl was not someone who knew how to live up to what people wanted, the people he was with now barely considered him a friend. Even Rick...well, Rick, defended him. Was that being a friend?

The point was Daryl didn't hold her hand back, not tightly. His fingers only curled halfway, and he told himself it was strategic. If he needed to whisk an arrow out and ready his crossbow, he could do it quickly at least. Truth of it was, Daryl was just as afraid of affection as these people were of walkers. Of course, he'd never admit it even though it was true.

_Jesus Christ,_ Merle scolded him in his head, _you can't even fuckin' hold a broad's hand without being such a whiny brat about it! Sure you don't like boys, Darlena? _

"This is a reason to smile." she nodded down at their awkward hand holding. "Yet you look sad."

"Ain't sad, just thinkin'." Which was true, and that was part of the reason why he wanted to come alone today. It was becoming hard for him to find moments to himself, to have his thoughts span out as wide as the forest, instead of being cramped up in jumbles while surrounded by the others. Ariel wasn't a bad distraction, and he appreciated her being there, but she made his thought process stumble.

"Tell me what you're thinking about."

"Why?" he sounded rude but not intentionally. He truly wasn't used to people _wanting_ to know his thoughts and opinions on anything.

"See this?" she looked down at their hands again. "This comes with stuff, like you telling me why you have creases in your forehead. Or me waking you up in the middle of the night because I had a nightmare."

"You do that and I'll stick an arrow where the sun don't shine." he said seriously, they already got very little sleep.

Ariel of course, only smiled. "You can stick something other than an arrow there."

Daryl couldn't not smile when she said that, it stretched across his face from being caught off guard so quickly. He flicked her arm with his finger, shaking his head. "Gotta screw that head on yours straight, keeps wanderin' off..." he chuckled. "Can I ask you somethin'?"

"Sure."

"Yesterday, when you came with Maggie on the horse you said you couldn't stay with Carl and Rick, why?"

Ariel shrugged, looking away. "I used to be a nurse, but I never did surgeries. I had just started, and I was only going to slow them down. I couldn't be there, not with another child on the edge of..."

"Hey," he said softly. "Sophia ain't on the edge of anything. She's just lost."

"Yeah," she sighed. "I know."

"Come on," he undid their hands as they came to a clearing, needing both of them now. "Stay quiet, dagger out." his voice diminished and he got his crossbow ready to fire. The clearing only held a small home, battered and damaged but whole. Daryl kicked the door open, Ariel coming behind him his crossbow close to his face. Her weapon was lowered lightly, so he walked back to her and tapped it up a bit, forcing her to be better when she was on her guard.

_Definitely need to give her a weapons training course_, he thought.

They did the walkthrough of the house, Daryl looking in the garbage at an eaten can of tuna. The door creaked nearby and when Ariel made to move for it, he let her. He was right behind her though, ready just in case. She opened the door slowly but there was no one waiting for them on the other side, just a pile of blankets.

Ariel sighed. "She could have been here." she pointed to the bundle. "An adult can't fit in there."

He nodded. "Maybe."

Ariel turned away, and Daryl knowing she was sad decided to do the only thing he could think of that would help. He grabbed her hand and held it in his, this time closing his fingers all the way. She squeezed back and he sighed in relief, maybe he did help.

They walked outside, Daryl spotting something that made him grin. "Hey, c'mere."

"What?" she asked.

"Just c'mere!" he pulled her forward, leading her to a bush with some white Cherokee roses. He got on his knees and picked one for her, handing it to her.

"Why, Daryl Dixon you big old softie."

He scrunched his nose playfully, breathing a little lighter when she accepted it. "It's a Cherokee rose. The story is that when American soldiers were moving Indians off their land on the trail of tears, the Cherokee mothers were grieving and crying so much, cause they were losing their little ones along the way from exposure and disease and starvation. A lot of them just disappeared. So the elders, they said a prayer; asked for a sign to uplift the mothers' spirits, give them strength and hope. I'm not fool enough to think there's any flowers blooming for my brother. But I believe this one bloomed for Sophia." He was glad that she wasn't crying, he wasn't sure that he would have been able to handle that again.

"I think one is for your brother." she disagreed lightly. "You Dixons aren't half bad."

Daryl tipped his head. "Thanks, I guess."

Ariel's eyes were far away from him. "Sophia isn't my child." she said sadly.

"Feels like she is though, don't it?" he sat back on his butt, pulling her arm so she fell with him.

"Yeah, it does." she cradled her legs. "I guess she is the closest I ever got to it. I was engaged once you know, had a whole life planned for myself. Then it just fell apart and I had no fiancée and no future."

Daryl snorted. "You ain't defined by a guy. If he left you, he's the idiot."

Ariel looked over at him and smiled, laughing suddenly and grabbing Daryl's face with her hand, squishing it and squealing. He didn't know where it came from, or if the words he had chosen had suddenly lifted her joy higher. All he knew was that his face was in her hands and she was laughing and his heart was on fire from it all. He made a loud noise of protest, pushing her arm away, but to his own surprise he heard himself laughing. She scrambled up, making to run from him but he grabbed her leg with his hand, sending her down. Roughly, he pulled her forward and sat on her hips, her hands above her head, held by one of his.

"I'm a hunter, remember?" he grinned. "Can't get away from me."

But Ariel wasn't smiling back. She was staring at him...like the way she stared at Rick.

* * *

Ariel thought that this must be the first time that she was really seeing Daryl Dixon. Of course, she took the time to look at him all the time, as much as she could. He was beautiful to look at, but she had known that. She loved the way his muscles coiled around his arms, his veins showing at his wrists. His hand, the roughness of it was so comforting in hers ,which slowly due to this new world was reaching the same level of roughness. His hair was something she dreamed about running her hands through, pulling on. That bottom lip that he chewed on, she dreamed of biting it herself. She pictured losing herself with him. Already, parts of her drifted away as he stared down at her with his gorgeous blue eyes.

But today, this must be the first time she saw so far past it. She acknowledged his personality, underneath his desire to push people away, she knew he was kind and caring. That's why she had been drawn to him, because she felt safe and he made her feel like she was worth something, even though he tried to pretend like he didn't care. But today, there was something else. There was his smile, his smile and his eyes crinkling up at the sides while, for the first time she saw a real smile on Daryl Dixon. The Georgia sun was bright sure, but not like the smile that Daryl Dixon wore.

This man cared. He cared about everything with so much of himself that he had no words to describe it, _that's_ why he had trouble with affection. He did not know where to put it. What had happened to him that made him grow up like this, unable to show how he felt, unless it was by accident, like now? Why would he want to hide this beautiful piece of himself from her?

_You make it so easy to fall in love with you,_ she thought.

Instead she said, "I really want to kiss you." she felt like a teenager all over again, and she could not recall ever feeling like this with her fiancé.

She was not surprised when he pulled away from her. She sighed and pushed herself up, annoyed that he didn't even offer her a hand to get up from the ground.

"So that's it?" she called as he began to trudge away.

"What's it?" he mumbled, she ran up to catch up with him.

"You're just going to give me the silent treatment now?"

"I'm talkin' ain't I?" he growled, but in fairness to her, he was avoiding her gaze.

"God Daryl, grow _up_."

"I'm a grown man Ariel," and she had to ignore the way he sounded saying her name. "It's you who doesn't know when to stop."

"Excuse me?"

"Thought we were gonna...wait...for all that stuff, after we find Sophia."

_If we find Sophia_. "Maybe I don't want to wait."

"Tough shit." he growled, taking longer steps.

"What the hell is your problem, why are you so damn afraid of showing the least bit of tenderness towards me? Every time you do it's like you have to take it away by becoming a jerk."

"Told you I was an asshole. I ain't Rick."

"You're not Rick, that's why I like you."

He clicked his tongue. "Right."

"Is your self esteem that shitty?" she asked, her anger getting the better of her.

"Shut up!" he hissed. "Do you want the whole god damn world to hear you?"

"Maybe I do!" she yelled. "Maybe I want the whole god damn world to hear me yell about you Daryl Dixon, because guess what, you drive me _insane_. I lost _everything_ until I found you idiots and now Sophia is gone, lost somewhere, and I'm trying, I'm trying so hard to see the good in this crappy place, but you make it so hard sometimes."

"Hey," he walked up to her so they were facing off. "I ain't here to make it easy on you. Like I said, if that's what you're lookin' for, go on back to Rick. He'll tell you everything will be okay. I tell you the truth, you can't handle that, then that's not my problem. I ain't gonna change who I am just because you don't like it."

"Sometimes to be happy you have to make adjustments."

"I'm just fine the way I am." he turned away. "How about this, when you start changin' yourself, maybe I'll change myself."

"Oh what's wrong Daryl, am I too much of a crier? Do I joke too much?"

"No, you rely too much on others. I ain't the god damn moon and Rick ain't the sun. Your back is against a wall? Well we all feel the same way. I can't protect you, not all the time. You run off on your own half the time, came with me today when I asked you to stay back."

"Then teach me, teach me how to fight instead of telling me off!"

"After Sophia−"

"Daryl I swear to God if you say that one more time I will stick your crossbow so far up your ass you will forget your name."

"Listen," he walked back up to her. "This is me, either you take it or you don't. I take you as you are, with your stupid fits of rage and everythin'. I need time, I ain't like the others, I can't just..." he splayed his hands out in front of him like a man in front of an altar, showing his god that he had nothing left to offer. "I ain't Rick."

"Stop saying that like it means something." she sighed and grabbed his hand, shaking her head. "Come on, let's just go home."

He sighed in relief, his hand tightening around hers. Neither one of them spoke all the way back. They just held hands, with all the innocence of two children. But once they got within distance of the others being able to see them, they undid each other from their hold.

* * *

"Ariel, hey, wait a second." Rick came up from behind her. "I'm sorry about today." he said as he caught up to her, putting a hand on her shoulder.

Rick Grimes was unlike Daryl Dixon in every possible way, or at least, that's what he thought at the beginning of their adventures together. But now, he had understood why Ariel had grown so attached to the two of them. They both lacked characteristics, put them together and they were unstoppable. Sure, Rick admitted to himself, he and Daryl had not truly had a chance to work as a proper team together, just the two of them, but Daryl went along with whatever Rick said. Rick loved Shane, but Shane was always thinking fifty miles ahead of Rick. Daryl, Daryl just wanted to be included.

But where Rick was the leader that she needed, he knew that Daryl, well Daryl was something entirely different for her. That's why he was choosing his next words carefully, partially because he knew Daryl was watching him, hidden, and also because, as much as Ariel cared for him, Rick too had grown very fond of her. She had a good spirit, and Rick liked that about her. It was hard to keep himself uplifted with the way things had been going for him, so she was a nice change of pace.

"About what?" she asked, defensive. "Did Daryl say anything?"

Rick tried not to smile. "I just mean about not finding Sophia. I'm sorry." he squeezed her shoulder. "Maybe tomorrow, when we can all help."

"Right." she nodded. "Sure."

"You know," he said slowly. "If anything is bothering you, you can tell me." He knew it was Daryl. He watched them leave the farm and come back, and though the two liked to fancy themselves that no one saw them, Rick had seen their hands leave each other. He saw it from the beginning, the way Daryl moved to her to protect her without being asked, or how Ariel's eyes found his whenever a decision in the group had to be made. They went along with what the other wanted, it was like that from the moment that they had met.

"Rick, you have enough on your plate without me adding to it." Before he could interfere, she added. "I just want Sophia back."

"I promise you, we will find her."

She looked at him with those big, expectant eyes. He knew his wife and son had faith in him, Carl more than Lori, but Ariel...the way she looked at him, it was the only thing that made him certain that he could lead these people. She believed in him.

"I know Rick, I trust you."

"Hey," he leaned in a little. "Daryl will come around. If you trust me with anything, trust me with that."

Ariel smiled and kissed his cheek. "Can I go see Carl?"

"Of course, he'd be happy to see you." he smiled at her as she went, watching Daryl appearing from behind the tree he was standing, watching her go.

"She alright?" Daryl asked him.

"She's tough." Rick assured him. "Just go easy on her Daryl, not everyone is as thick skinned as you."

* * *

**hey peeps  
so you all know i love and appreciate all the reviews i have gotten and hopefully will get. also, just so you all know, when season 5 comes around in this story, which at this rate should not be **_**too**_** far away, i am not going to go by the episodes, but by my own interpretation of what i want to happen to Daryl and Ariel. **

**Soon, very, very soon, they shall have their big moment. Sorry I'm dragging it, but we all know that Mr. Dixon is not one who so willingly throws himself into someone's arms. **


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8 -**

"Hey Lori," Ariel greeted her as she came out of the tent. There was a nice breeze today, the sun was shining, and Ariel was in a good mood. _Today could be the day_, she thought to herself, _today could be the day that we find Sophia. Today will be a good day_.

"I can't believe I slept in," was all she muttered.

Ariel shrugged, hanging up the clothes on the pin lines. "You looked tired last night; I thought you could use it. It doesn't hurt to sleep a little more, now that we finally feel a little safer."

"Next time wake me, especially on laundry day."

"Really Lori, it's no worries." she smiled. "It gave me some time to think about something actually."

"Think about what?" Lori immediately began to help.

"I think we should cook everyone dinner tonight." she suggested, looking over at Lori. "After everything Hershel has done for us, and we need to celebrate Carl being okay too. Daryl's been working his butt off looking for Sophia, I think we all deserve one night of eating good food and enjoying each other's company for a little."

Lori smiled. "That sounds like a good idea; I'll run it by Rick."

"Awesome." she grinned, walking down the path over to Daryl who was redoing the buttons on his shirt. "Hey hot stuff."

"Hey." he mumbled, fixing his collar.

"Sleep well?" she asked, watching him pick up his crossbow. He slung it over his shoulder and nodded. "Great, listen, I was thinking about hanging back today."

Daryl walked with her towards the others, where Rick was waiting by the truck. "Thought you wanted to look for Sophia with me." he sounded hurt, so Ariel gently touched his wrist, being sure not to take his hand completely.

"I'm doing something for Hershel today with Lori, and besides, I think you're right, you might cover more ground alone."

"Alright, if you're sure." he stopped and nodded once.

Ariel smiled. "Be careful."

"Always am."

* * *

"I never thought I'd be so happy to see a potato." Ariel grinned. "I mean, don't get me wrong Daryl hunting for us has done us good for us so far but I'll take some good home cooked meals over roasting squirrel over the fire any day."

"Thank you, Patricia, so much for letting us into your house." Lori chimed in.

Ariel had thought that the making of the supper would allow her mind to wander far away. Far away from Sophia, from Daryl, from everything and everyone, that was all she wanted. Unfortunately, it did no such thing. The more she cut her potatoes and prepared the salad, her mind only wandered further out into the woods with Daryl and hopefully Sophia.

What if he found her and she wasn't there? Maybe she should have gone like he suggested, after all, she _had_ told Sophia that she would take care of her. Ariel almost laughed, she knew that she had done a crap job at that too.

"Are you alright?" Lori asked, coming up next to her.

"Yeah, what, why?" Ariel asked. "Ouch!" she cried dropping the knife.

"Ariel!" Lori exclaimed, grabbing a cloth immediately to wrap it around her hand. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah..." she mumbled. "It's just a scratch, it's fine." she removed the cloth to look at her hand, thanking the gods _again_ that her injury required nothing more than a band-aid. Patricia immediately got one for her, before Ariel even had to ask. She took Ariel's hand in hers and put the band aid on it.

"This is stupid." Ariel snapped. "Can't even make a damn dinner."

Lori laughed lightly. "It's nearly done anyway, come on, why don't we take a break from it, go outside and get some air."

Ariel mumbled incoherently, feeling stupid about the whole thing. She had nearly burned the meat, Lori having to run to her rescue. That was besides nearly using the wrong dressing for the salad and accidentally using the rest of the yogurt for a dip Lori wanted to make, but it was expired.

She hadn't known she didn't know how to cook. She always thought it came as instinct to women who were supposed to be married once. That they just _knew_. Not Ariel though, god freaking forbid. She knew how to take blood from people, sure, but she couldn't even make a freaking potato without nearly chopping off her hand.  
"Hey Andrea." Ariel walked up to the rv, putting her hand up to shield her eyes from the sun.

"Hey Ariel, how's the cooking?" she asked, putting up her binoculars.

"Really, really crappy, but thanks for asking. Nearly cut my fucking hand ri−"

"Walker! Walker!" she suddenly yelled.

"Just the one?" Rick asked.

"I bet I can nail it from here!" she called.

Ariel hurried around while the men gathered their things, running into her tent and grabbing her dagger, running after Rick. "Daryl still isn't back yet." she said worriedly.

Rick looked at her but didn't respond. They ran along with T-Dog, Glenn and Shane, Ariel's heart beating loudly against her chest. But as they got closer, as Ariel's eyes adjusted to the 'walker,' she realised.

"Jesus Christ," she put her hand on Rick's arm; he had his gun ready and pointed. "It's Daryl."

He was a dirty mess, and Ariel almost hit herself for two reasons. She was smiling like an idiot at him for starts while he was covered in dirt, blood and what was probably blood from another kill. She couldn't help it though, for some reason she found him looking so damn _attractive._

_ You have fucking problems lady_.

"That's the third time you've pointed that thing at my head." Daryl yelled. "You gonna pull the trigger or what?"

Then, as though the world had not been cruel enough to them as it was, a gunshot sounded and a bullet whizzed right on the side of Daryl's head.

"NO!" Rick yelled.

Ariel couldn't do anything. She opened her mouth, she thought she was yelling, she was trying to, but no noise was coming out. No, no, no, _no. _This wasn't happening, Daryl was not there, not lying on the ground, and blood was not falling from his head. This was a dream, one of her nightmares, that's all it was...

"Daryl." she croaked.

"I was kidding!" Daryl exclaimed, before he passed out.

"Daryl." she watched Shane and Rick hoist him up, but they weren't doing it right. No, it was all wrong; they were going to hurt him. "Move." she stood in front of Daryl, forcing them to stop. Her hands were on his face, her blood stained wrap around bandage becoming stained with his. "Give him to me." _Why can't I see him properly?_

"Ariel, you need to move." Shane's voice made her angry.

"Glenn, Glenn, take him." Rick said. She was getting angry, why wouldn't they give him to her. She would take care of him, properly, not like they were doing, just dragging him along.

"Hey," Rick wiped her eyes, and it was then that she realised that she was crying.

"Stop it!" she snapped, turning around. "No, no, I'm _done _crying." she marched behind them but Rick took her hand, and she let him.

She would kill Andrea.

She was running down now, asking stupid questions. T-Dog was asking something too, and Glenn was talking about ears. Why did any of this matter, why the hell did any of this matter? All she could see was Daryl, Daryl and blood and a bullet somewhere in the grass.

"Why can't you just listen?!" Ariel yelled at Andrea.

Rick held her back with both of his arms, was she really moving that much? She hadn't thought she was, but he was holding onto her arms tight. Her body was acting on its own, but she was angry, she felt it all inside her, she was angry and she wanted to slap Andrea for taking such a stupid risk.

"THEY TOLD YOU NOT TO TAKE THE SHOT." she yelled.

"I'm sorry." Andrea's eyes were wide.

"Relax," Rick pulled her away, dragging her along almost the same way the others were dragging Daryl. "Hey," he stopped when she was struggling, putting his lips to her ear. She watched as they brought him inside without her. "He needs you in there."

She was breathing too hard.

"Ariel. You need to be there with him. He will be fine, and when he wakes up, it won't be Hershel's face he wants to see. Go help him. Okay?"

Rick, as usual, was right.

* * *

Daryl was positioned uncomfortably but he had to pretend that it didn't bother him. Hershel was stitching him up, but he barely felt the pain, mostly because of the drugs. He was shirtless, but thank god that Ariel was sitting in front of him like Rick was, both of them looking at the map. He had scars on his chest, sure, but not like on his back. The ones in front were lower, more on his stomach than above, and the way he was twisted made sure that the scars were positioned at a downward angle. His arm was up, holding a cloth to his head to stop the bleeding, which Ariel had offered to do but he reclined. She would see everything then, all his imperfections, and Daryl had enough of those even with his clothes on. He didn't need more of a reason to feel undeserving of her.

"I found it washed up on the creek bed right there." he nodded; his other hand was busy keeping his head propped up. "She must have dropped it crossing there somewhere."

Rick was grateful. "Cuts the grid almost in half."

"Yeah, you're welcome."

Ariel was more concerned about Daryl right now than Sophia. She hated thinking it, she almost wanted to cry and scream because of it, but he was what mattered right now, she had to take care of him. She looked at Hershel, trying to keep her voice steady. "How's he looking?"

"I had no idea we'd be going through the antibiotics so quickly." he answered. "Any idea what happened to my horse?"

"Yeah, the one who almost killed me? If it's smart, it left the country."

"We call that one Nelly, as in nervous Nelly. I could have told you she'd throw you if you'd bothered to ask. It's a wonder you people have survived this long."

Daryl rolled his eyes, having had just about enough. He lay back, pulled up his covers to his chest and sighed, loud enough so they would all get a clue and leave him be. He knew Ariel wouldn't, that was pushing his luck, but he couldn't kid himself either, he kind of liked that she stayed around even though he told her to go. Unfortunately they all stayed right up until Hershel put the stitches on the bullet wound and wrapped a bandage around his head.

When they were leaving, Rick patted him on the shoulder once before nodding at the other two men to take their leave with him. He whispered something to Ariel, and Daryl looked away, he didn't want to know what he was saying or why.

"How are you feeling?" she asked quietly once Rick shut the door.

"Bout as good as I look." he mumbled.

"You always look good hot stuff." she said, but Daryl knew that she was joking to make herself better, not for him.

"Don't look so good yourself." he mumbled, putting his hands behind his head.

"Oh, thanks Daryl, really." she snapped.

"Hey, why are you pissed for, s'not like I did anythin' to you this time. Barely saw you!" he turned, tucking the blanket up to his chin, curling it in his fist.

"Nothing you did." she snapped. "Whatever, I don't want to talk about it, I really, really don't."

"Fine, then go get yourself some food." he looked at her. "If you wanna get me some too, feel free, I'm starvin'."

"Fine." she said angrily, getting up and slamming the door on his way out.

Daryl sighed and got up from the bed, groaning and swearing. How did she think she was going to get back in with the way she closed the door. She was supposed to carry two plates, and hopefully something to drink. So he held his side and stumbled to the door, undoing it and then collapsing in the bed, breathing hard.

"Christ," he mumbled.

He just wanted to sleep, to sleep for a really long time, and then he wanted to wake up back at home with his cat and with someone sleeping next to him, curled up in his arms...

Ariel walked in, frowning at the open door.

"You got up?" she was so angry.

"If you're gonna give me shit, you can leave the food here and be on your way." he waved his hand.

Again, she slammed the door, but this time, it was not with the same anger. There was desperation in her, and as she closed it, he watched her run her hands through her hair. Daryl turned around, watching her. He thought about getting up, maybe grabbing her hand, but he was so tired, he just wanted to eat and go to sleep.

"Ariel." he moaned.

"Don't." she held her hand, another one covering her eyes. "Do not say my name like that."

"Like what, I just said it normal like."

"No, every time you say my name it's like...it's like I can't _breathe_."

"I'm the one bleeding out of my head and you're the one who can't breathe. What a great team we make, don't we."

_How the tables have turned_, he thought. Now Daryl was the hurt one, lying with bandages everywhere and it was Ariel who had to take care of him, who was on the edge of losing her mind. He had to admit, it was a little entertaining. "Daryl. You almost died." she turned around and he saw that she had been holding in her tears the entire time. "You almost died, and it's my fault."

"How you figure that?" he reached for his plate, taking a piece of meat with his hand and biting down into it.

"I asked you to look for Sophia, and I said I wasn't going with you today. Maybe if I was there." she trailed off, and he was glad she wasn't crying. He had meant it when he told her she needed to stop that. It's not that Daryl thought crying was for babies or anything; it was for his own sanity. There was a time and a place, and he couldn't work with someone who cried every time things got a little stressful. Especially Ariel, because he would drop everything to make sure that she would be okay. If she didn't cry, it was a little easier to handle her.

Maybe he was a jackass, maybe. But this was the apocalypse, and neither one of them had the privilege of taking time out of their day to have a good long cry.

_She does too; _he said to himself, _you ain't out in the woods with her runnin'. She's in a house, let the girl be_.

Daryl sighed; there were too many voices up in his head. So he did his absolute best to try and make her feel at least a little better. "If you were there we both would have been shot in the head." he mumbled. "Better that you weren't with me."

"I could have protected you."

Daryl finished his meat quickly. "Ariel, shut up and eat your food." he pulled the covers up to his chest as he sat up, making sure none of his scars were showing. "Come here." he patted the bed next to him.

Ariel took his place and put it on his lap before grabbing hers. "I should hit you."

"If you're gonna be a pain, go eat with the others. I can get some rest."

"I'm not leaving you here alone."

"What do you thinks' gonna happen? Andrea's gonna come in here guns blazing?"

"Maybe."

"Don't be pissed at her, wasn't her fault."

Ariel looked over at him in bewilderment. "Are you fucking kidding me right now?"

"Relax," he said through a full mouth. "Can this go my way for once? Shut up and eat, don't talk until you're done."

Ariel sighed and took their plates away, Daryl protesting but she didn't listen. He widened his gaze when he saw her move so she was straddling his hips. His hands were firmly in the bed sheets, grabbing on to them for dear life.

No, this was too much, too much all at once. He could not deal with it, not right now. It was too hot, and there wasn't enough separating her from him, just these sheets and his boxers, since he had discarded his pants. He was staring at her, at her chest, and then up the curves of his neck and then to her lips, those gorgeous lips, her brown skin, her blue eyes and her ridiculously gorgeous brown hair.

She put her hands on the side of his face.

She was going to kiss him.

"No," Daryl stammered, and he wondered how in the seven hells he was able to turn down a girl, and _this_ girl no less. Merle would have punched him in the damn face.

"Why?" she breathed. Her breath was going to kill him, being that close to her, this was how he would die, not by a gunshot but by her. She would be the death of him; he could feel it in the way that his heart picked up, there was so much speed it felt as though it was going to jump right out of his chest.

"I don't want...I don't want it to be...not like this..."

"Like what." she, ever so gently pressed her forehead against his. It didn't hurt him, not physically. Her mouth was so close; he just had to move, just an inch. Her hands were on the sheet but he could feel her fingers pressing down, circles being traced on his stomach. He couldn't think, he couldn't, not with her parts matching his not when...

_oh no._

Ariel breathed out a shaky laugh, and it mixed with his breath like toxin. "Push me away, if you really don't want this." she felt his hard on through the sheet, it was plain and embarrassing and Daryl...Daryl was ready to flip her and take her right then and there, all need and desire. He wanted to be inside her, he wanted to bite her neck and pull her hair and _lose himself in her._

"I don't want you to kiss me because we're broken." he said, and it sounded so unlike himself that he almost rolled his eyes.

"I want to kiss you because you're making me fall for you." she answered. "Being broken is just a side effect of the apocalypse."

"When we find Sophia, we'll be less broken." he said. "If you still want it then..."

She pulled back, understanding. "You think I'll want you less?" she smiled, caressing his face. "Oh, Daryl Dixon, I'm going to prove you wrong." and she slid off him, and Daryl thought that is what hell must be like.

"Hope so, or else I just fucked myself over."

"You said it." she handed him back his plate, the two of them eating the rest of their dinner in silence.

* * *

He held her in his arms that night, taking the bed for himself after Hershel had offered. Ariel was going to go back, but he kept her there that night. Just because they hadn't kissed, that didn't mean he couldn't enjoy her in other ways. So he held her hand against his chest, and she fell asleep by him, on his uninjured side, with her head curled up to him.

_This could have been our life_, he thought _if things had been different..._

But maybe if things had been different, he would not have met her.

Her hand was right on one of his scars, but even as they had talked in the night, she hadn't mentioned them. She didn't seem to mind them, or maybe she just hadn't noticed. It was his back that he kept hidden, his back that he could not show her.

Daryl shook his head and closed his eyes, he just wanted to sleep.


	10. Chapter 9

**hey everyone! so first, thank you all for the reviews, keep them coming, i always love reading it. You guys can drop me personal messages as well, I'd love to talk! Also, I hope you like this chapter, I think you will but anyway.  
I own nothing, as usual (I know, sad but true) Wish I did own them, at least, Daryl and Rick anyway...**

**Enjoy:D**

* * *

**Chapter 9 -**

When Glenn had told the others that there were walkers in the barn, it was safe to say that panic had risen in the group fairly quickly. When they had all made their way to the barn, Shane looking through the doors best he could, most of them were riled up.

Everyone of course, except Rick.

"You cannot tell me you're all right with this." Shane said.

"No, I'm not, but we're guests here. This isn't our land." Rick said.

"This is our lives!"

Glenn was pleading. "Lower your voice."

Andrea shook her head. "We can't just sweep this under the rug."

"It ain't right," T-Dog agreed. "Not remotely."

"Okay, we've either got to go in there, we've got to make things right or we've just got to go. Now we have been talking about Fort Benning for a long time." Shane pressed.

Ariel, who usually stayed by Daryl, was by Rick this morning. But as the others spoke, she saw Daryl sneakily moving closer to her. She knew that though everyone was worried, Shane would be the one to probably lose his mind. Though she secretly agreed with him, not about leaving but about taking care of the situation, she would stand by Rick no matter what. He was their leader.

"We can't go."

"Why, Rick? Why?"

Ariel snapped at him. "Because Sophia is still out there."

"Okay," Shane closed his eyes and put his hands over his mouth, breathing in and out. "I think it's time that we all start to consider the other possibility."

Rick was becoming angry too. "We're not leaving Sophia behind."

"I'm close to finding this girl!" Daryl exclaimed. "I just found her damn doll two days ago."

"You found her doll, Daryl. That's what you did. You found a doll."

Daryl paused, looking at Shane in disbelief. He walked up, waving his arm. "Man, you don't know what the hell you're talkin' about!"

Rick put his arm in front of Daryl while Ariel took him by his wrist. Shane shouted over them, "I'm just saying what needs to be said. You get a good lead; it's in the first 48 hours."

"Shane stop." Rick snapped.

"Let me tell you something else, man. If she was alive and out there and saw you coming all methed out with your buck knife and geek ears around your neck, she would run in the other direction."

Well, that was it. Daryl made for Shane and Shane was in a hurry to fight back. Daryl was yelling profanities while others screamed over him, Rick trying to push Shane away while Ariel, T-Dog and Andrea struggled with Daryl.

"Daryl, Daryl, _enough_!" she yelled.

"Get off me." he pushed them all away, walking off a few meters.

Rick watched Daryl go, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Let me talk to Hershel, let me figure it out."

"What are you going to figure out?" Shane yelled his face red.

Ariel had just about enough with Shane. "Shane just shut up!" she exclaimed, pushing his chest with both her hands. "This isn't your business, not right now. Rick said he'll deal with it, so let him!"

Shane had fire in his eyes that Ariel had never seen. He grabbed her wrists harshly, and Rick yelled at him to let go of her. Ariel's heart stopped as his hand clutched her. She would not be able to think properly with him holding her like that. There were too many bad memories that followed. Sure, she could stab or shoot a walker easy, but she could not do this, not now.

"Don't ever touch me again." he growled.

"HEY!" Daryl yelled, running up to him. He pushed Shane by the side, forcing him to let go of Ariel. Shane looked like he was going to fight Daryl again but Rick intervened, using his body as a shield and pushing Ariel and Daryl to the side.

"You good?" he murmured.

Ariel touched his arm, forcing herself to stay calm. "Yeah, I'm fi−I'm good." she smiled at him, getting her breathing under control.

Dale walked forward to Rick. "'Hershel sees those things in there as people...sick people, his wife, his stepson."

"You knew?"

"Yesterday I talked to Hershel."

"And you waited the night?" Shane asked angrily.

"I thought we could survive one more night and we did. I was waiting until this morning to say something but Glenn wanted to be the one."

"This man is crazy, Rick, if Hershel thinks those things are alive or no!"

"Just stop!" Rick yelled.

"Come on," Daryl muttered to her. "Let's go."

He took her hand which surprised her. She did not think that he would grab it around the others, but maybe he was too mad and riled up to really care what anyone else was going to say to him. He brought her around to the stables, relaxing when they got inside.

Angrily, he pushed away a nearby stool with a horse saddle on it. He groaned and crumbled over, holding his side.

"Are you alright?" she got on her knees next to him. "Jesus Daryl."

He huffed and puffed, sliding his way to one of the wooden walls, holding his side and looking at her with one eye barely open. "M'fine." he muttered, grabbing her arm. "How's your wrist?"

"I'm okay Daryl." she said softly, curling up next to him. "He didn't hurt me too much."

"Shouldn't have touched you at all." he growled.

"Hey," Rick came in, jogging. "I was looking for you two." he came down, steadying himself on his toes, his arms resting on his legs. "I'm sorry about Shane."

"It's okay Rick."

"It's not." he was stern. "That was not right of him, and I am sorry."

Daryl snorted. "Ain't up to you to say sorry." he winced, touching his side.

"Well we both know he won't." Rick sighed. He slapped Daryl's foot. "I'm going out later to follow the trail to Sophia."

"I ain't gonna sit around and do nothin'," Daryl made to get up but Rick and Ariel both held him down.

"You're not going out there." Ariel said. "You're going to go out there and just get hurt worse."

Rick nodded. "She's right, you're off duty today."

"Fine." he mumbled. "Be careful out there, don't take any of these horses, they'll throw you right off and beat your ass."

Rick chuckled and tapped his foot again, getting up. He touched Ariel's head before walking out, leaving the two of them together.

"Can I ask you something?" she whispered.

"I guess."

"Do you really think we'll find her?"

He clicked his tongue. "You losin' faith?" he looked at her sideways. "Come on, let me show you somethin'. Just help me up..."

* * *

Daryl took her to the house with the Cherokee roses. "Sit here." he told her, pointing to the ground.

"Daryl, what is this?"

"Just sit." he pushed down on her shoulder, following her a little bit after. He had to take his time to try and not hurt himself more than he already had. "You see it?"

Ariel sighed. "See what?"

Daryl pointed to the array of roses. "I'll find her." he told her.

Ariel smiled, and Daryl knew she had remembered the story. "Why do you want to find her so bad anyway?" she asked him seriously. "I mean, she was nothing to you before, you barely spoke to her anyway."

There was so much Daryl wanted to say. That he wanted to find her because Ariel loved her and saw herself in her. He wanted to find Sophia because he found _himself_ in her. He had been lost once too, which she knew, but it had scarred him. Sure, it had made him stronger, made him learn to survive, but still, no one had cared, no one had noticed he was gone. There was just him in the woods, crying for the whole first night.

Instead of saying any of this, he said, "Cause I think she's still out there."

"You know what?" she grabbed his hand. "I think you're right."

Daryl smiled his small smile. "Know I am."

"You know, right now, in this moment, it's hard to believe that we're in the apocalypse." she got up and Daryl watched her. The sun beat down on her and he watched as she took another one of the roses, slipping it into her hair. Standing there, in the sun and against those flowers, he realised she was right. It was hard to believe that they were trying to survive the end of the world.

"Do you think we would have met, if...if this hadn't all happened?" he asked her.

She turned around and looked down at him. Her hand was out, waiting for him to take it. He did but he didn't pull himself up, he pulled her down. She sat in front of them, her hands on his knees, tracing her thumbs on his outlines.

"Yes." she said finally, after a long moment of thought. "I think we would have. I think the way the world is now, is just something on the side. Whatever is supposed to happen with people, the ones we find, the ones we love or hate, that was supposed to happen anyway."

"What happened, with you and your fiancé?"

She sighed. "There were so many issues. The bigger ones like he had to move to London for a job and I didn't want to leave my family, or how he was angry at me because I couldn't have kids, and all the bigger things led to stupid arguments, like having a fight over where to eat for dinner."

"He sounds like a jackass."

"Well, I'm sure I wasn't easy to handle." she nodded at him. "Come on, you've even said so yourself that I annoyed you."

"You don't annoy me enough for me to leave you." he said lowly.

She looked thoughtful. "I _think _that was a compliment."

He smiled lightly, his hand coming up to turn her strands away from her face. He touched the flower in her hair and asked her, "Do you feel broken today?"

"No," and when she smiled it went all the way up to her eyes, making them sparkle. "No, today I feel alive."

"Try and keep it that way."

"Why, hot stuff? Thinking of trying something?"

_Yes_. "No, just like the way it looks on you." he regretted his words even though they weren't anything bad. He just found that he sounded like an idiot saying them.

"Thank you." she said quietly, blushing. "Well, just so you know, if you would try something, I wouldn't stop you."

"Yeah, I know." he grinned, getting up. He took her hand and pulled her up with him, keeping it entwined with his as they began to walk back to the farm. "Believe me, I've thought 'bout it." _what the hell Dixon,_ he snapped to himself, _you're just spittin' out everythin' you think now?_

She laughed so loudly and so deliciously that it made his warm. He wanted to swallow that laugh with a kiss. "Have you now? Are you going to tell me what exactly you think about?"

Daryl stared at her. "I don't like this game."

Ariel laughed again. "I've thought about it too you know, in case you're wondering." she turned so she was walking backwards, facing him and pulling his hand. "Don't you want to know what I thought?"

_Yes, fuck yes. _"N-no?" his voice was not at all convincing.

She laughed softly. "I've thought about touching you." she said lightly, her eyes hooded and full of lust. Daryl was definitely not going to survive this conversation. "Touching you everywhere, with my hands, and my lips." she yanked on him roughly and he was pushed against her and she felt his hard on against her thigh through his pants. "I would take you in my mouth and watch your face the whole time, so I could see how much pleasure you're getting out of it."

Daryl had to bite his lip, because just this, just her talking about it would be enough for him. He had problems with these things and he did not want her to find out about them, not like this, not _now_. So he put his hand over her mouth and begged her in the most pathetic of tones.

"I need you to stop." he pleaded. "Otherwise I'm gonna..."

She giggled and licked the inside of his hand. He made a face and pushed her off, wiping her saliva on her shirt. "You twelve?" he asked her.

She laughed again and grabbed his face between her hands, kissing him so hard on the nose it actually hurt a little. She walked off, and Daryl followed behind her, shaking his head and grinning lightly. He couldn't help himself.

* * *

"...were supposed to leave a couple of hours ago." Andrea said as Daryl and Ariel came up to the group.

"Yeah you were, what the hell?" Daryl scolded.

"Rick told us he was going out." Ariel said, crossing his arms.

"Damn it. Isn't anybody taking this seriously? We got us a damn trail." he waved his arm and looked around at Shane, nodding in his direction. "Oh, here we go. What's all this?" he pointed to the guns.

"You with me, man?" he asked, anger clear in his tone.

"Yeah." Daryl caught the gun that he threw at him, and even before Ariel could say anything he shot one to her, and she caught it despite her distraction.

"Time to grow up." Shane growled. "You already got yours?"

Ariel's eyes widened. She looked at the barn and then back at Shane. "Shane, _no_, Rick said that..."

Shane walked up to her and she tensed, Daryl moving with him to be sure that nothing went any way less than how he wanted it to. "Look, it was one thing sitting around here picking daises when we thought this place was supposed to be safe. But now we know it ain't. I know you care for these people, I know you care about Rick, and I know, we _all know_, that you care for him." he pointed at Daryl, right there in front of everyone. Daryl looked away, shocked and embarrassed, but Ariel could not stare away from Shane. "I'm going to protect mine, are you going to protect what's yours?" he was still pointing at him.

Ariel felt herself nod.

"No," Maggie said. "You do this, you hand out these guns, and my dad will make you leave tonight."

"We have to stay Shane." Carl said.

Daryl walked over to Ariel while Shane went over to Carl and Lori. His voice was low, because Ariel was still in shock.

"This is happening." she looked at him.

He looked at her. "This ain't about you and me." he told her. "You ready for this?"

"No." she said honestly. "You heard what Dale said, Hershel thinks..."

"Don't matter what Hershel thinks." he murmured. "Remember that day at camp with Amy and Jim? You agreed with me that day, zero tolerance."

"I do agree, it's just−"

He shook his head. "Need you to be with me on this. So are you?"

Ariel took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah."

"Oh shit!" T-Dog yelled suddenly.

Ariel and Daryl turned their gaze towards Rick, Jimmy and Hershel who were coming out of the forest. They were leading two walkers on sticks and it only made Ariel feel all the worse about what Shane wanted to do.

"What is that?" Shane yelled as he began to run. The rest followed, Lori yelling to Shane. "What the hell are you doing?" he yelled at Rick.

"Shane, just back off." Rick growled.

"R-rick..." Ariel murmured, she was so scared for him, only a bare meter away from something that was trying to kill him.

Hershel was angry too. "Why do your people have guns?"

"Are you kidding me?" Shane yelled again. "You see? You see what they're holding onto?"

"I see who I'm holding onto."

"No, man, you don't."

"Shane," Rick begged. "Just let us do this and then we can talk."

"What do you want to talk about, Rick? These things ain't sick! They're not people. They're dead. Ain't gonna feel nothing for them cause all they do, they kill!"

"Put your gun up." Daryl growled, and Ariel did what she was told, having her gun pointed at one walker while Daryl pointed his at the other.

Shane was on a rampage. "These things right here, they're the things that killed Amy!" they had walked right up to the front of the barn now. "They killed Otis! They're gonna kill all of us."

"Shane shut up!" Rick yelled.

"Hey, Hershel man, let me ask you something. Could a living breathing person, could they walk away from this?" he took out his gun, and despite Rick's protest shot the walker three times. "That's three rounds in the chest. Could someone who's alive, could they just take that?"

The pain on Hershel's face twisted Ariel and although Shane was right, Ariel could not help her heart that was breaking for him.

Shane shot again. "That's its heart," again, "its lungs. Why is it still coming?" he shot a few more times.

"Shane, enough!" Rick yelled.

"Yeah, you're right man, it is enough." and Shane walked right up to the walkers and shot them in the brain. Hershel went right down with it.

"Enough risking our lives for a little girl who's gone!" he yelled, and Ariel felt her heart tighten. "Enough living next to a barn, full of things that are trying to kill us! Enough. Rick, it ain't like it was before! Now if y'all want to live, if you want to survive, you got to fight for it! I'm talking about fighting right here, right now."

Rick was panicking. "Hershel, take the snare pole. Hershel, listen to me, man, please. Take it now, Hershel! Take it!"

Shane was opening the barn with an axe, Rick yelling for Shane to stop, Daryl looking at the walker that was near Rick, Ariel trying to look at everything and everyone, but it was too much.

_No,_ the voice inside said, _it's not too much. You want to stand next to Dixon for the rest of your days, however many you have left? Then stand up straight, point your gun at whatever comes out of that barn, and shoot._

Finally Daryl looked at her, and when he nodded at her, that was all she needed.

The barn was open and Shane ran back to Rick, putting a bullet in the walker's head. Rick picked up his gun, while Andrea, Glenn Daryl, T-Dog and Ariel went up to meet with Shane, putting the walkers down one by one. It was easy for them, despite Rick's yelling. Ariel was between Daryl and T-Dog, not shaking, not fighting, but getting her target for most of her shots. Whichever ones she didn't get, Daryl picked up the last shot for her. This was what she wanted, this was all. She wanted to be a team, and now she was.

When it was all over and done, Ariel breathed heavily with the others, wanting to look back at Rick but she find she could not turn her head. Because there was one more, one more that came from the barn, slowly, as though it was scared.

Ariel dropped her gun to the floor.

"Sophia." she whispered. "No." she ran forward, but Daryl threw away the gun and caught her around the middle, dropping her gently on the ground, staying with her. "NO! SOPHIA!" she screamed, tears falling from her eyes easily. She was dying, everything inside her was falling apart.

Daryl held her against his chest, whispering in her ear, saying something, but she couldn't hear him. He was rubbing soft circles in her arms, his lips were on the back of her neck, whispering, but she couldn't hear, couldn't feel.

All she saw was Rick. All she saw was Sophia.

The one thing she did hear, was a gunshot.

* * *

There are a lot of different kinds of sadness. That's what Daryl thought about when he was sitting in the rv with Ariel. She wasn't talking and he didn't want to try and make her talk either. If silence would help her right now, if anything could anyway, then he would give it to her.

But what kind of sadness was this?

She wasn't a mother, so she wasn't feeling that kind of pain. It wasn't her sister, or her niece or her cousin. Daryl knew how it felt to lose a family member, because even though he didn't know what happened to Merle, he had come to terms with the fact that he would most likely never see him again. Daryl had grieved in his own, weird, silent way.

Ariel was just staring at the table, her knees pulled up to her chest. Daryl wondered how she was able to fit like that between the chair and the table but he didn't ask.

It's not that he wasn't sad too, after all, he had nearly died looking for the kid. It was a different kind of sad for him though, obviously. She had made promises to Sophia, read to her, held her hand, it was different. Maybe that's why she was sad, because sure, it wasn't a little sister, but it was a friend.

Daryl crossed his arms. What did he know anyway? Whatever sadness she was feeling, he would be there to try and be there in whatever way he could. The others, they could wait. They didn't need him to dig holes or burn people. He was right where he needed to be.

This would put them all back, all of them, especially Rick and Ariel. What happens now, now that the little girl they were chasing was dead? They were chasing after nothing, all this time. It meant something, finding her. It meant that things could still be okay here, every once and a while. That's what Ariel wanted, that's what she needed. Daryl needed it too. He wasn't able to find his brother, but finding a lost little girl...it just...it was supposed to mean something.

He just didn't want her to be broken anymore. Was that selfish of him? He wasn't sure.

Lori came in the rv, and Daryl nodded at her. "They're ready."

Ariel whispered, "She wasn't even mine."

"She was." Daryl disagreed lightly. "She was your little girl at the end." he jumped off the counter and went to her, putting his hands over hers. It didn't matter anymore, if people saw them or what they would say about it. "Come on."

She looked at him and sighed, in that way she always did when she gave into him. He walked with her outside, Lori in front of them, holding her hand tight. They walked to the gravesite and watched the others put the bodies in the three graves that had been done. No one was saying much, not even Rick, they all just watched Shane and T-Dog lower the bodies, one by one.

Rick walked over to Ariel and put his arm around her shoulders, kissing her cheek, whispering sorry to her. For the first time, Daryl didn't get jealous or angry. They were her family, and she loved Rick. She thought of him differently from Daryl, that was all.

When it was over, no one said anything. Daryl nodded once at Rick and took Ariel away.

"You could um..." he looked sideways at her. "You could stay in my tent if you want, tonight..."

Ariel nodded, for the first time in hours he heard her speak. "Yeah, yeah, that would help."

Daryl chewed on his lip and pulled her close, putting his arm around her shoulders. "I got one of Dale's books in there...you can read it if you want."

"No," she murmured. "I'm so tired. I just want to sleep."

"Middle of the day." he unzipped his tent for her. "If you sleep now, won't sleep too well tonight." he crawled in after her, his hands on his knees.

She stared at him and smiled lightly. "Then we don't need to sleep. But I'm not reading."

"You wanna talk?" he asked.

"No." she said.

"So...?"

"I want you to kiss me." she said, and before he could shake his head she moved closer to him and touched his lips with her hands. "Please listen to me. I don't want you to kiss me because I'm broken, or because I want to forget or because of any other reason besides the fact that I am in love with you Daryl Dixon, and I want to feel happy for one fucking day in my life."

_Love_. "You don't know what you're sayin'."

"I know what I feel. And if you don't love me back yet, or you do but you can't say it, that's fine, I'll wait for you to say it. But for God's sake we both want to be with each other, so please, just _be with me_."

"I don't know how." he said sadly.

"I told you I would show you." she whispered. "We don't need to do anything else. I just need to kiss you."

Daryl didn't know what to say. He kept on his knees and watched as she shifted, coming closer to him. It was hard for him to breathe, to think, to understand what was happening. He didn't know if this was the right time or not anymore, how could anything be one way or the other? All that he understood was that there was the smell of her, and she was closer, and her breath was mixing with his again.

Ever so gently, she pressed her lips to his.

Well that...that was all Daryl needed.

He wasn't an idiot, he knew how to kiss. He just wasn't sure that he did it the way girls liked. Mostly because when he got what he wanted he didn't need to kiss them. He didn't care about pleasuring the girls he was with. Not until now.

He wanted to take his time, but the taste of her overwhelmed him. He jammed his tongue in her mouth, grabbing her by her ass and lifting her up on top of him. He fell on his own and held on to her for dear life, like this was his reason for being alive. His hands moved up, all the way up her back, wrapping around her body, crushing her to him. Her hands, they were in his hair, she was running through them over and over again, her nails scratching his scalp in the most lovely way.

She needed to breathe, she pulled away, her head thrown back as his mouth ran down her neck, his tongue leaving a trail as he went.

She pulled on his hair and forced him to look up at her. He growled as his mouth was taken away from her skin, he wanted to taste more of her. To have his tongue travel all over her body, he wanted all of her.

And yet...

"Take off your pants." she breathed heavily, and those four words had his imagination in a spiral. Those four words made his hands grip her tighter, made his pants get tighter.

"I..." he lost his voice.

Somehow, she understood, and he realised then that this was the reason he was falling for her, because she knew his thoughts without him having to speak all the time. "It's okay." she moved his hair so gently. "We can do just this...for now."

He kissed her neck, and it tasted so good. "Guess this means I gotta take you crossbow trainin' tomorrow." he only spoke his words between kisses.

"Guess so." was all she said before she pulled his hair again, leading his lips back to hers.


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10 -**

"Tonight, I don't have any doubts. For the first time in my life, I'm choosing steps that are completely my choice. For the first time I'm striving for something I believe in. I don't know how things are going to turn out and maybe that's the purpose of life. I don't want to be handed the answers. I want to learn the answers for myself; because that's the only way I'll believe them." Ariel sighed, folding the page of her book and setting it down. She was up on one elbow, looking down at it, caressing the cover. "Isn't that nice?"

"Sounds dumb." Daryl muttered behind her, she heard him getting dressed. He had forced her to turn around so she wouldn't look.

Ariel rolled her eyes. "It's not dumb." she laid her head on the tent ground. "It's an amazing book. It's called Middle Ground, by Kate Kacvinsky. Do you have any favorite books?"

"Never read too much." he muttered.

"That's too bad." she whispered.

"Why?" he leaned over her to grab his vest that was on her side. She turned over, under him and grabbed his face in her hands. "What?"

She grinned and brought his face to hers, kissing him thoroughly, and hands in the hair and tongues mixing together. They fit so well together, just with their lips, Ariel was itching to find out how it would be when they would make love to each other. She loved kissing him, she loved the way he lost himself, forgot what he was doing and just went all instinct on her. He was all hands grabbing and moaning into her mouth. It drove her wild.

"Books are important." she whispered against his lips.

"Not anymore." he kissed her once more, leaning back and putting on his vest. His hair was a mess.

She got up on her knees and started to place his hair. "It helps keep me alive."

"How?"

"Well," she pushed away his strands. "They take me away; they remind me of what it feels like to come out on top of a shitty situation."

"Guess they're important then." he kissed her lips again, his hand coming around her neck.

"Kissing you is important too." she grinned, pulling back. "Seriously though, you really don't like to read?"

"Is that something about you?" he asked, irritated that she had taken her lips away from him. "One of the things you miss? You never told me your three, not really. I told you mine."

Ariel let her mouth drop and she hit his chest playfully. "You never told me that's what you missed, just that it's what you liked!" she crossed her arms and tapped her chin. "Gee, how am I supposed to compete with coffee, cats and cigarettes?"

"You can't." Ariel was happy to see that he was in a teasing mood, despite their roller coaster of a conversation.

"Alright," she held out her hand, counting on her fingers. "I miss writing on my laptop."

"You were a writer?"

"If you're going to interrupt me..."

"Sorry, go on."

"I miss writing on my laptop," she went on to touch her middle finger. "I miss my shower, and I miss my books."

Daryl looked at her for a long moment before he gave her one of his signature tiny smiles. "I like when you read to me."

"I thought you said it's dumb."

"Sounds dumb." he held his ground. "But you make it sound okay. You should write too."

"I don't have anything to write with." she said sadly.

"Write in the grass with a stick," he shrugged. "If you find a pen, you can even write on me if you want."

Ariel smiled lightly, feeling herself fall deeper in love with this weird, interesting man. The man she had met at the campsite would have never said these words to her. How quickly he was changing, and for the better. This world, it either changed you like it did to Shane, or if you were lucky, you got to change in the way that Daryl had.

"Know what else is important though?" he murmured. "Finding Rick."

Ariel sighed and pushed him back with her hands, gently. "And just like that, we're back in reality." she looked at him sadly. She didn't like the way he had said it, as if he was tired of looking for people. He probably was though, she thought. _You sent him on a wild goose chase._

"Are you mad at me?" she asked.

"No, why?"

"It's just...Sophia wasn't mine...wasn't _ours_."

He tensed, his eyes narrowed. "So?" he was getting defensive now, so she had to put her hand on neck, to bring him back to her. To relax him and make him understand that she was not going to put him down or make him feel bad, that this was something people who were in their situation did; they talked about things.

"It's just, I sent you looking for her."

"I offered." he mumbled.

"I wanted you to never stop, I sent you looking after a dead girl."

He bit his lip for a moment before giving a long, slow nod. "I was mad, a little." he admitted. "When she came out. All we had to do was keep an eye on her."

"I'm sorry." she whispered, her forehead falling to his chest.

"Ain't a thing we can do to change it." he picked up her face. "Couldn't keep an eye on my brother and you couldn't keep an eye on her. We're even."

"That's not the way I want things to be."

"That's the way they are." he told her. "Now we got to find Rick."

"I'm tired." she pouted.

"Sorry." he gave her a quick peck and crawled out of the tent, holding the opening for her.

As she got out she saw that the sun had barely had time to come up yet. "It's early." she told him, watching him pick up his crossbow.

"Yeah, well, we got something else to do before we go look for Rick." he tilted his head. "Come on, told you I would teach you." he took his knife and made a circle in the tree nearby and then another, smaller one inside. "We don't have too much time, but until they call us over we can practice."

"We can practice some other stuff." she winked at him.

He threw the crossbow at her and she barely caught it. "Pay attention." he turned her head towards the target. She hadn't realised how far it actually was until he was forcing her to stare at it. "Put your eye through there...good...alright, breathe."

But she couldn't. He was standing right behind her, his hands all over her arms, moving and touching her, and his breath was on the back of her neck.

"Go."

She released, missed completely, and her elbow shot back from the scare of the sudden, quick release and hit him in the chest.

"Ohmygod!" she screeched, dropping the crossbow.

"Hell, woman!" he bent over, clutching his chest. "Tryin' to kill me?"

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry," but she was laughing a little.

"No you ain't." he chuckled, grabbing her shoulder and then straightening herself. "Go on, try again."

"No, no, I think I'll stick with guns and knives."

"Giving up already?" he shook his head, taking his crossbow and slinging it over himself.

"You look better with it anyway." her hands were on his chest.

"I don't know," he shrugged. "You looked pretty good with it, should wear my shirt again, that was nice to look at."

"Oh?" she smiled and walked away from him. Feeling bold, Ariel stood about a meter away from him, slowly undoing her top, all eight buttons and let it drop to the floor, revealing her plain white bra. Daryl didn't seem to care what kind of underwear that she was wearing anyway. His eyes traveled to her chest, the most uncovered he had ever seen, but he did not move. His hand did grow white clutching the strap of his crossbow.

Slowly she walked over to the tree and took his shirt that was hanging from a branch, slipping it on, tying it in the back so it showed her stomach and buttoned it up. "Better?" she asked.

"Y-yeah..." he breathed.

She grinned and walked up to him, pressing her lips on his. "Daryl Dixon." she loved the way he sighed into her mouth, like him hearing her speak his name was enough for him. "Hold on to that crossbow tight."

"Why?" he asked.

Ariel smiled and continued kissing him, distracting him with her tongue. The taste of him was _divine_. His smell too, he smelled like the forest. Slowly, her hand traveled down, and for a moment he did not stop her, but once they got to his belt buckle, his eyes snapped open and he grabbed her wrists. "No." he muttered.

"Relax." she smiled. "Trust me."

It took a while, but he eventually let go of her wrists and watched her eyes as her hands undid the belt. She did not make him drop his pants; she only unzipped it and unbuttoned it. She slipped her hand down and..._God_, she thought, _he's commando?_ As if Daryl Dixon wasn't attractive enough, his hard on without the limitation of underwear sent her spiraling upwards.

When her hand grasped him, he tensed; his eyes were as tight as the rest of him.

"Relax," she whispered on his lips, licking his bottom lip.

He didn't, but she figured her next actions would help. She began to stroke him, somehow this being much better than if he would have been naked. She liked that he was clothed, head to toe, and that they were standing; though Daryl looked like he was going to have trouble standing upright.

She started slow, going up and down, staring at his face the whole time. His face was an incredible turn on, it was completely ridiculous. He was staring at her, his blue eyes darkened with desire, biting on his lower lip. Seeing him like this...well...it only made her feel all the more bold.

* * *

Daryl felt stupid.

How inexperienced must he have looked, he thought, as she stroked him off. His legs were shaking and god, the _friction_, his hand, the jeans, just...he couldn't think, the feeling was too good. Her nails treaded lightly on it, no pain, so pleasurable, and her hold was just right, tight enough to make him want to release himself right then.

It was an effort not to.

Then she made it worse.

Worse, but in a good way.

She took his hand and before he could say anything, his hand and her free one went down her own pants. They both gasped together as she forced him to touch her wetness, and it was so warm that Daryl had to moan, her touching him and now they were _both _touching her, it was too much, he wanted to take her; he _was in so much pain_.

But he had scars on the inside and the out and wasn't ready to show them yet. Not in the cold, hard light of day.

His mind was too occupied to concentrate on pleasuring her properly, but Ariel didn't seem to mind giving him direction. She pushed his hand, finding his finger and aligning it with herself. He wondered if she was uncomfortable, both her hands being down someone's pants, but if she was, she wasn't giving it away.

When his finger entered her warmth, he was done.

His free hand grabbed her hair and he pulled back, shoving his face in her neck, moaning so loud he was sure he would have woken everyone had they been closer to camp. His hand shook, his body spased as he pushed himself into her, wanting every last touch before she would take away her now, very sticky hand.

She laughed softly while he breathed heavily, his cheeks heating up. "Sorry." he breathed.

But she didn't say anything. She just pushed down on his hand, sending him deeper so he would get the message. He understood and kissed her deeper, sticking another finger in, allowing her to remove both her hands and wrap them around his neck. Their foreheads were talking, his chest still heaving, and hers starting to rise in the same, exasperated effect. Their eyes never left each other, their mouths touched once and a while, but mostly they stared at each other.

"Daryl..." she moaned, and _for God's sake he could feel himself getting hard again_.

"Come on baby." he stuck another finger in and she gasped pulling back on his hair like he had done to him. The rough act turned him on so much; he kissed her all over her neck, plummeting his fingers in her over and over, faster each time, watching her eyes flutter close as she came all over his hand.

* * *

"Where have you guys been?" Shane asked as they walked up to the truck.

Daryl and Ariel both shrugged, Daryl muttering something while Ariel smiled lightly at Andrea. "We going out for Rick finally?" she asked, hoping she didn't look to flushed.

"Yeah, he's still not back with Hershel and Beth is only getting worse."

"Poor kid." Ariel muttered, but she was looking across the truck at Daryl who was fiddling with his crossbow. He looked so good in that stupid leather vest. She wanted to hit him.

"Yeah," Andrea said, and then looked up, "Hey guys look."

They turned where sure enough Rick was pulling up to the farm. Relief flooded Ariel when she watched him; Glenn and Hershel get out of the car. Once he hugged his son and Lori, Ariel could not help but run up to him too.

"You scared the shit out of us." she mumbled to him, hugging him.

"Glad to see you too." he chuckled, wrapping his strong arms around her tight. "Did Ii miss anything?"

"Nothing of importance." she said quickly.

"Hey Daryl." he nodded at the bowman who walked up to Ariel's side, nodding at Rick.

"Hey." Daryl said, pointing at the car. "You gonna tell us who the hell that is?" he pointed to a boy in the car, blindfolded and looked to be passed out. Ariel sighed, it was never a dull moment here.

* * *

"We couldn't just leave him behind." Rick explained to everyone in the kitchen. Ariel was sitting at one of the chairs, Daryl behind her, leaning against the wall. "He would have bled out, if he lived that long."

Glenn sighed. "It's gotten bad in town."

Andrea frowned. "What do we do with him?"

Hershel came in, looking tired and annoyed. "I repaired his calf muscle as best I can, but he'll probably have nerve damage. Won't be on his feet for at least a week."

Rick nodded. "When he is, we give him a canteen, take him out to the main road, and send him on his way."

"Isn't that the same as leaving him for the walkers?" Andrea asked.

"He'll have a fighting chance."

Shane of course, disagreed. "Just gonna let him go? He knows where we are."

"He was blindfolded the whole way here. He's not a threat."

"Not a threat. How many of them were there? You killed three of their men, you took one of them hostage, but they just ain't gonna come looking?"

Ariel crinkled her nose. "Well if they left him for dead no one will be looking for him."

T-Dog was just as unsure as the rest of them. "We should still post a guard."

Shane laughed. "You know what? I'm gonna got get him some flowers and candy. Look at this folks, we back in fantast land."

Hershel had just about enough. "You know, we haven't even dealt with what you did at my barn yet. Let me make this perfectly clear, once and for all...this is my farm. Now, I wanted you gone. Rick talked me out of it, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. So do us both a favor and keep your mouth shut."

Shane sighed loudly and walked out.

Ariel got up. "'We don't need to deal with it today." she murmured. "We should all rest today I think we all need it."

"Ariel is right," Rick looked so grateful. "We all need to sleep, regroup and get our heads straight with it."

Everyone got up one by one to leave the kitchen, Daryl pushing himself off the wall and putting his hand on Ariel's shoulder.

"Give me a second," she whispered, kissing his jaw. "I just want to talk to Rick."

He nodded and waited for her outside.

Rick smiled at her, sitting down next to her. "I see you and Daryl have finally found your way to each other."

"Yeah," she laughed lightly. "It took some time."

"These things usually do." he looked down. "What did you want to talk about?"

"Actually I was going to ask if you needed to talk." she took his hand. "I know you have Lori, but Shane...Shane doesn't seem like he's someone you could talk to anymore. It looks like you could use a friend."

He laughed, but it was so sad. "Yeah, yeah I guess you're right."

Her heart was forever breaking for him. She hated thinking it, but she did anyway: so many people in this world deserved to be punished for things. A lot of people went to jail and deserved too. But men like Rick Grimes, they did not deserve this cruel world, or to be gone against in the way Shane did. Rick Grimes deserved every possible good thing in the world; he was just in the wrong place. She wished that she could fix these things for him, to make his life a little better. But if Ariel had learnt anything from her childhood it was that sometimes, all someone had to do was listen to someone go a little crazy.

"So tell me." she encouraged him.

"Do you think I'm crazy, for doing all this? For trying to understand Hershel, for dealing with Sophia the way I did, for bringing back this kid..."

"Rick, you're making hard choices, trying to be a good person in a bad world." she sighed. "You're doing what you can."

"I always do." he put his hand over his eyes. "I do just enough to get us by but I seem to be putting us in more and more danger."

"More? Rick you brought us to this farm−"

"Yeah, after my son got shot." he snapped, more to himself than to her. "I feel like I am failing this group."

"Hey," she put a hand on the side of his face. "You are doing more for us than Shane would ever do. You are doing things that humans do, not just survivors. You are trying to save people."

He smiled lightly and kissed her forehead. "You're good for him you know." he told her. "You make him better."

Ariel didn't have to ask who he was talking about. She left him at the table, kissing his head and walking outside, looking at Daryl who was passing a rock between his two boots. He looked up at her when she walked out, using his hands as a cap so he wouldn't have to squint too bad.

"What?" he frowned, looking at her smile at him stupidly?

She bounded down the stairs and looked at him. "Do I make you better?"

Daryl frowned further. "Shut up."

That was Dixon talk for _yes._


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11-**

Daryl unzipped the tent to let the air in, falling back on his butt and looking at Ariel sleeping. He smiled, one of his small ones, because it cost him too much to give away one of his full teethed smiles. Even though she was asleep, he thought of his smiles as rare things that people had to work to get. Unfortunately he had already given her too much of himself, a lot that he couldn't take back. It's not that he wished he was able to, because he figured that if he had to give himself away to someone why shouldn't it be her? They were good for each other, he made her stronger and she made him...happy.

Happy.

That was such a foreign word to him. Happy. Love. Sex−no, not sex, making _love_. It sounded so weird when he thought it to himself, because Merle never taught him anything about it. Merle taught him about sex, about things like what Ariel did to him yesterday, with her hand down his pants. But it was different, she made him feel things, she made him _want_ to feel things.

Love though, that was a big thing to say. She had said it to him once, that night when Sophia was...

But Ariel just said anything she felt. Not Daryl though, he let it sit in his stomach until it came bursting through to the surface. He thought about saying it to her, but he wasn't sure he meant it yet. How do you know if you're in love? He had never felt it before so he had nothing to compare it to. Who was he supposed to ask? He couldn't ask Merle even if he _was_ here. He wasn't going to ask Glenn, him and Maggie were...well, Daryl didn't really know, he didn't like to stick his nose where it didn't belong. Hershel, definitely not, T-Dog and Shane, _no way_, Dale? He could always ask Dale.

Then it hit him like a brick in the face.

"Damn." he snapped, getting out of the tent. He slipped on his boots and went up the way to the farm, nothing but his clothes and his hunting knife.

Rick and Shane had loaded their hostage Randall into the car, Shane looking annoyed as usual, and Rick looking annoyed with Shane.

Just another day.

"Rick." Daryl called, walking up with his arms swinging.

"Daryl." Rick nodded, smiling lightly.

"Talk to you?" he mumbled, chewing on his thumb. "Private?"

"Sure," he gave Shane a look but he seemed unresponsive. He walked away, following Daryl a few meters away from Shane. "What's up?"

Daryl sighed, walking up and down in front of him in a horizontal line, still chewing his thumb. He looked at Rick from the side, then got close to him, lowering his voice, feeling like a complete child. "I got a stupid question for you." he mumbled.

"How can I help?"

_Good ol' Rick Grimes, always ready to lend a helpin' hand_, he thought but only half bitterly. If he was more like Rick, he probably wouldn't be having this problem in the first place.

"I gotta problem." he muttered.

"I figured that." he was still smiling.

"You and Lori." he stared at him. "How did you...when did you...jeez man are you goin' to help me out?" he threw his hands up.

Rick smiled bigger now. "Is this about Ariel?" When Daryl didn't respond, Rick only chuckled. "She's a patient girl, she'll wait for you."

"Ain't about waitin', it's about knowing."

"Whether or not you love her?" he laughed. "You and Glenn seem to be having the same problem."

Daryl rolled his eyes. "Great."

"You'll know when you do, Daryl. Don't rush it."

"You didn't answer any of my questions!" Daryl called out as Rick walked away.

"See you later, Daryl!" Rick called.

Daryl frowned and clicked his tongue, turning around and walking back up to the tent. He watched as Ariel came out from it, grabbing one of his shirts and slipping it on. He came up, in a pissy mood because he had wanted answers and not riddles.

"Hey," she smiled at him.

"Gonna keep usin' my shirts, I'm gonna run out of stuff to wear." he mumbled, snatching his vest from the tent and slipping it on.

"Take it off me then." she kept smiling, his gut twisting.

"Take it off yourself." he mumbled, sighing and going back inside the tent.

"Hey." she said again, ducking and going in the tent. Her concern made him feel bad, he never meant to be rude to her, and he just didn't know what else to do, most of the time. "Where are you?"

"Right here."

"No, you're not." she frowned, sitting down next to him while he lay back. "You're miles away."

"Just tired." he shrugged, his hands behind his bed.

"You should sleep today, I promised I'd go help out around the house, I've been wandering off with you boys all the time."

"You cooked the other night, you did laundry." he looked at her. "Wanna just...stay here today? Got the squirrels outside, don't gotta move until someone comes look for us."

"A romantic day with Daryl Dixon?" she brought her legs up to her chest. "How exciting."

"Ain't romantic, just relaxin'." he looked at her. "You told me you're a writer, tell me somethin'."

"Like what?"

"Dunno."

"Helpful." she muttered. "Okay, well, I would write about this, about being here with you."

He didn't look at her. "What would you say?"

When she started speaking, it came from her so easily that Daryl wondered if she had thought about these words before this moment. It scared him a little that she might have.

"I am looking at him," she began slowly. "My little fallen angel, and wondering how on earth, God could have let him go. He is beautiful and dangerous, my fallen prince. When he is awake, he is fire, the sun that burns everything that gets close to it, sometimes even too beautiful to look at. It's in the night when I soak him in, his hair, his eyes, his taste, his entire existence. He is a galaxy; he is all my answers, the boy with the angel wing vest. I am looking at him, and thinking that he is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen."

For a very long time, Daryl was quiet. He stared at the top of the tent, her words ringing in his head like some kind of disturbing warning sign. What the hell was he supposed to do with all of that? He wasn't beautiful, he wasn't special. He was just Daryl, Daryl Dixon, the redneck from the poor house in the middle of nowhere. He lived with his drug dealing brother, a father who couldn't give two shits about him and a mother who barely knew he was there. People didn't fall in love with Daryl, people left him.

"Fallen angel." he muttered. "That what I am? Aren't they the bad ones?"

"Not always," she said softly. "People do bad things; it doesn't mean that they are bad people."

"How do you know I'm not bad?"

"Because someone like you could never be bad. Shane is...Shane is getting down that road. You're like Rick."

Daryl snorted, getting up and turning away from her. "I ain't nothin' like Rick."

"That's true, you're more complex." but she sounded agitated. "Every time you and I take a step forward we go a thousand steps back."

"S'what I'm good at." he mumbled.

"Daryl, come on, what's wrong?" she moved forward, pressing herself to his back, leaning her face against his vest.

He sighed. "I don't know what I'm supposed to say to you. How to say...the things that you need me to say."

"I don't _need_ you to say anything. You say whatever you want to say." she told him, wrapping her arms around his stomach. "I'm not going to force you to do anything. I know it's hard for you."

"You don't know nothin'." he muttered, undoing himself from her.

"I saw your scars." she said, and he stopped in his tracks. "I saw them at the C.D.C and I saw them when Hershel was cleaning you up."

"Shut up." he snapped.

"I don't know what happened."

"Ain't none of your damn business!"

"Right now, no, it's not." she agreed. "But one day, you're going to want to tell me what happened to you."

He whipped around, glaring at her. "Yeah? Think again." he got up in fit and walked out of the tent, but Ariel went after him. "Leave me be!" he yelled.

"No, we are not starting that again." she yelled back. "We are not going to get close just so you could pull yourself away from me."

"Why don't you go stick your nose somewhere else? I don't want you here."

But his words had no effect on her, she just stared at him like the way she always did, like she loved him. "I don't believe you."

"Maybe you should."

"Hey," she walked up to him. She didn't touch him, which he was happy for because he thought he might have accidentally hurt her. "If you want me to leave, say it. Say it right now, but remember this. If you tell me to go, I'm not coming back Daryl."

It frightened him, the look in her eyes. The hardness, the determination, when did she get like this? When did she get so unafraid, with no tears in her eyes. Was it losing Sophia that was making her change, or was it being around him? There was just too much, and he didn't want to deal with any of it. This wasn't for him, this was not what he did.

"You told me you needed time." she said to him. "I've been giving it to you. If you're having a bad day, just tell me, just talk about things. It's better than making the people you love feel like shit. You care about this group, despite having your tent all the way out where you don't want anyone to talk to you. You care about these people, about Rick."

"Rick looks to Shane." Daryl growled. "Let him."

"He respects you Daryl, and I know you respect him. He values you. I value you." when she saw him soften she walked up to him slowly, kissing his lips gently. It wasn't like before, all animal and urgent. It was ridiculously soft, full of affection. It still had the same effect on him, it went from his lips all the way down to the tip of his toes.

"Come on hot stuff." she said gently. "I thought you wanted a day of no worries."

He nodded, getting back inside the tent with her. They both lay down, Daryl with his arms behind his head, Ariel lying sideways so her head was on his stomach.

"My parents were really cool people." she started suddenly, surprising him. "My dad was a fighter, a champion and my mother worked in a school part time, as a lunch lady. It was a little weird for them that I became a nurse, especially considering my personality."

"What do you mean?"

"Well I loved reading and writing, they thought I would become a teacher or a writer. I just always wanted to help people though, more than anything. After what I went through, I thought it was the most important thing to do, to help people."

"Was it real bad?" he asked, trying to sound as gentle as possible.

"My school life? At the beginning, yeah, it was. I got beat up all the time, I was overweight. I got slimmer with the years, became anorexic and then had to gain the weight back. Now I lost some of it again, but through no fault of my own."

"Kids beat you up because you were fat?"

"No, kids beat me up because I stood up to them and helped out others. Kids are not always so nice." she sighed.

"Neither are adults."

"Well adults tried to help me. My dad trained me, my mom was great with me."

"What happened to them?"

Ariel sighed. "My dad got bit, I don't know how it happened...we were being so careful. Then a few days later, my mom just had no faith, killed herself and left me alone."

Daryl touched her hair. "That's not being great with you."

"I don't blame her." she said quietly. "She thought she was slowing me down, thought I would be better without her. I hate saying it, I do, more than anything, but, she was right. I started moving faster, got better with hunting and tracking, not as well as _you_ of course, but good enough to keep me alive. Then, I found you guys."

"Yeah," Daryl huffed. "And all we've done for you is what, get you into trouble?"

"You've given me a home, Daryl. You are my home."

"You set too much by me." he mumbled.

"You don't set enough by yourself." she got up and looked down at him. "You are one of the kindest people I have ever met, and you act like people think you are the biggest asshole. You aren't Merle."

"You didn't even know Merle."

"Well from what I heard, you're the better of the two." she went on her stomach, her hand playing with his hair. "Do you want to tell me about your family?"

Daryl shook his head but on the inside, he was dying. He wanted to do what she just did, open up and tell her things so that she could accept him. She saw the scars and was still with him, which meant something, didn't it? It had to, it had to mean something. If she thought he was a sack of shit she would not have stuck around, not when she could have gotten close to Rick. Hell, even though he was married, if Lori could sleep with Shane, maybe Rick would sleep with Ariel.

_Don't be stupid, Rick ain't like that_.

"I see the wheels turning in there." Ariel tapped his forehead.

He sighed. "What do you wanna know?"

"You can tell me about your parents, about Merle."

"Won't be a long story, don't have much to tell." he looked at her, trying to make himself brave. "Was closest to my brother, whenever he decided to stick around, but uh, dunno, sometimes, he just wasn't very good at bein' the brother I needed. My mom, she tried, I think, to do what she had to do for us, but just kinda gave up as time passed. Burned the whole damn house down, fallin' asleep with a cigarette in her hands but I wonder if maybe it was done on purpose you know? My dad, my dad was a son of a bitch."

"Is he the one who..."

"Yeah." he said quietly. "Did it to all of us, when he wasn't out screwing some waitress."

"I'm sorry that happened to you." she said, kissing his cheek, lying on her side. Daryl found himself turning to face her so they were bare centimeters away. "I wish I could change that."

He grabbed her hands and held them to his mouth, feeling braver with her skin touching his. "He was an old drunk, who didn't care about any of us. Not for as long as I can remember...and Merle, just took off one day, leavin' me behind."

"Oh Daryl, you are too good to be left behind."

"Cept I was," he muttered. "Was left behind, and...sometimes I thought, him and Merle, they're one in the same. Merle was...he never did what my dad did to me, but he made me do things I never wanted to do." It was important for Daryl to say these things, to make her understand _why_ he had trouble being with her. Why he had trouble taking off his shirt or saying three words to her. He had to make her understand that he wanted to say so many things but just had to find the words, and it would take him longer than most people, even if he would die tomorrow, he would leave so much unsaid. That was just the way he was.

"You can tell me." she said gently. "I won't judge you."

He closed his eyes, talking into her hand. "First time I had sex with a girl, Merle paid for her. I was sixteen, said I had to learn to be a man. He had one for him and one for me, and...and he forced me to be in the same room while we..." he breathed out. "I'm afraid to hurt you, because Merle showed me what he liked and what I should do, but I don't think...there's more to _that_ than me taking what I want."

"You knowing that makes all the difference Daryl." she whispered. "But there's another reason." she said knowingly, and he sighed because she read him like one of her books.

"My parents didn't care for me, my dad didn't love me at all, and Merle, I think, in his own way he did, but it wasn't enough to keep him with me. I got the scars on my body to prove it."

"Do you think I'll love you less when I see them?"

"I know you will."

"I'm not that shallow, Daryl. I love you because of _who you are_, your astonishing good looks aside." it made him laugh so he opened his eyes a bit and found her smiling. His heart swelled, _how the fuck did I get so lucky?_ "Tell you what," she said. "Whenever you do decide to show me, I'll kiss all your scars, and I will still think you are the most beautiful person in this whole world."

"Sure it counts?" he half smiled. "Now that half the world is dead?"

"Course it counts." she kissed his lips, in that soft, gentle, loving way of hers. "You, Daryl Dixon, will always count."

* * *

**hope you guys liked this filler chapter :) you all know i own nothing, feel free to review  
also, if you guys want to support an indie author and like my writing here, you should go order my book off amazon or createspace! links are in my bio with a description of the book! i would love the support!  
xx**


	13. Chapter 12

**So, first off, a couple of thank yous and light responses.**

**Destinyrose18, thank you for your constant reviews, always look forward to that**

**HarleyRulez, I love that you love Ariel that means a lot to me.**

**nluvwithemmettcullen, Thank you for enjoying my writing style. The previous chapter was a filler for me because I just meant it wasn't an episode of the walking dead, but it was important to me too, and I'm glad you took something out of it the way you did, thank you!**

**Skybreeze of Stormclan, thank you, thank you thank you**

**and to y2j591, my first reviewer, I'm happy you enjoy change**

* * *

**Chapter 12-**

Staring at the barn was like waiting for a bomb to go off. She heard the punches and Daryl yelling and swearing, but what she was waiting for mostly was him to kick down the door and tell her to go away because her standing there wasn't doing anyone any good.

Mostly though, she just wanted to go inside.

Daryl hadn't wanted her inside the barn while he "took care" of Randal. He had given Ariel this story on how having her in there would distract him from what he needed to do. Ariel didn't think that he had to do anything; in fact, she thought they were taking such extreme measures for no reason. Why were they going to kill the boy for? What was the point? Daryl didn't kill her when he first met her and Ariel didn't try to kill him. Sure, the kid had shot at Rick, but Daryl did have a crossbow pointed at her face.

She heard the yelling from inside and only tensed further.

"Standing here won't do you any good." Rick surprised her.

"Sorry." she breathed out and noticed that she had been holding it in. Her arms were a little red too, from scratching them, something else she had not realised she had been doing. Daryl would be upset with her if he had seen her doing that. Maybe there was a good reason she wasn't in there.

"No need to say that," he put his arm around her. "Come on, when Daryl's done, he'll come."

"He shouldn't be doing that." she murmured, turning away with him. Rick gave her a questioning look, but she didn't advance further in what she meant.

Truth of it was, she wondered how on earth Daryl could be doing this, after everything he had told her the night before. He was beat as a child, and sure, this was different, it was a different world where situations had to be dealt with in a manner that no one was used to. But this, it had to hurt him deep down. He was a teenager too once, sure, he hadn't shot at anyone that she knew of anyway...

"So, what're you going to do?" Lori asked as they walked up, looking up from the fire.

"We'd all feel better if we knew the plan." Andrea agreed, Ariel turned away from her, she was still so upset with her for shooting Daryl, and then _for what she had done to Beth!_ No, Ariel put up with Andrea, but she did not like her.

"Is there a plan?" Glenn asked seriously. "We gonna keep him here?"

"We'll know soon enough." Rick nodded his head at Daryl who was coming up the way.

Ariel's heart did a weird thing when she saw him. His face made it soar but then as her eyes dropped to his bloody hands, they sank, because Daryl had to be reduced to beating up and torturing someone. _Should have had Shane do it_, she thought to herself.

"Boy there's got a gang, 30 men." Daryl said, facing Rick. "They have heavy artillery and they ain't looking to make friends. They roll through here, our boys are dead. And our women, they're gonna wish they were." he looked at Ariel significantly, pointing at him. "Don't go anywhere near him, ya hear?"

"I'm not an idiot." she couldn't look away from his hands.

Rick was right with him. "No one goes near this guy."

"Rick, what are you gonna do?" Lori asked.

"We have no choice, he's a threat. We have to eliminate the threat."

Dale spoke the words before Ariel had a chance. "You're just gonna kill him?"

"It's settled, I'll do it today."

Ariel opened her mouth to speak, but when Daryl caught her eyes and shook his head slowly, she closed it, listening to Rick and Dale argue.

"You don't wanna do this, I know you don't." Dale pressed.

Dale was telling the truth, Ariel saw it in Rick's eyes. If this was some 'my dick is bigger than yours' game that he was playing with Shane, she would lose her god damn mind. This was someone's life, and Rick couldn't let Shane get to him, not now, not when important decisions had to be made. The thing was, it was right there in Rick's eyes, the pain he was getting from speaking. Of course Rick didn't want to kill him, Rick didn't want to kill anyone. He wanted to hurt Shane maybe, but even then Rick would not want this.

"It's settled," Rick was stern. "Knowing what we know now, I don't see a way out of it."

"But you can't just decide on your own to take someone's life!"

Daryl walked forward to Ariel, taking her hand and leading her away from Rick. "Come on." he grabbed her fiercely, never one for being in the heat of things himself.

"Wash your hands." she mumbled, taking her hand out of his.

"What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing, just wash your hands."

"Never bothered you before."

"Well it bothers me today."

"Why?" he raised his eyebrow.

"Why are you asking me so many questions?" she hadn't even noticed they were near his tent now. She grabbed his bottle of water, putting only a bit on one of his rags that were on the floor, thinking to herself how funny it was that she was going to wash his hands with a dirty rag.

"I thought you said that's what this is," he pointed between the two of them. "That we're supposed to talk."

Ariel couldn't stop herself from laughing. Daryl Dixon, trying to talk about his feelings was quite the amusing sight. She sat and crossed her legs, nodding once so Daryl would get the message to join her. He sighed and sat too, one of his knees up, tilted awkwardly. He was so weird, she thought, taking his hands in hers. She rubbed the rag on them, pressing a little too hard maybe, but he didn't let on if she was.

She liked watching the way he sat and slept, or even ate his food. That was the beauty of having a writer fall in love with you, they found something beautiful in everything you did. When a writer falls in love with someone, that person, they are reborn into something immortal. Ariel found poems in Daryl's scars and in his knotted hair. Observing him had become a hobby of hers. She wished she had her laptop so she could follow him around and write about him all day. The way he clung to that vest, this boy who had no faith but wore angel wings on his back. Or how he always sat or stood as though he was ready to run away from something, or sometimes running _to_ someone, to her.

"You gonna tell me what's wrong now? Or are you just gonna keep digging holes into my hands?"

Ariel sighed. "Nothing's wrong."

"You know I don't believe that."

"Tough shit." she muttered.

"I don't−you know," he sighed angrily. "The whole point of me coming up here is to get away from you people."

"Gonna take more than that." Dale walked up with an uncertain smile, Ariel continuing to clean Daryl's hands. She wouldn't talk about what she thought unless expressly asked. It wasn't her business, Rick was their leader and she would follow him no matter what.

_Except you know he's not making the right choice_, her voice snapped. _Come on woman, own up to that pussy and speak your damn mind_.

She rolled her eyes at herself.

"Rick send you?" he watched Dale sit by them, more on his knees than anything.

"No," Dale observed him. "I'm concerned about you, your new role in the group."

"I don't need my head shrunk." Daryl said. "This group's broken. I'm better off fending for myself."

"You act like you don't care."

"Yeah, it's cause I don't." he snapped.

"I don't believe you."

"Irony." he mumbled, then looked at Dale. "Why not?"

"Because if you didn't care, you wouldn't have beat him up, or taken this young woman all the way here with you. You're not fending for yourself, you're trying to have a life with someone."

Ariel blushed and remained silent, focusing on Daryl's hands. She knew though that she wouldn't get away with not talking to Dale, he would turn to her eventually, once he was done with Daryl.

"It's different." Daryl told him. And she hoped it was, because falling in love with him was not something she had planned. Now that she had, she did not think that she could stand being away from him, or him not feeling the same way. She was glad that he owned up to admitting that what they had was different than his relationship with the others. It gave her a sense of peace, which was rare in this world.

"So, live or die, you don't care what happens to Randall?"

"Nope."

"Then why not stand with me, try to save the kid's life, if it really doesn't matter one way or the other?"

"Didn't peg you for a desperate son of a bitch."

"Your opinion makes a difference."

"Man, ain't nobody looking at me for nothing."

"I am," Ariel said suddenly, looking up. "I look to you for everything."

Dale nodded. "And I am looking to you right now." he looked at Ariel. "Do I have you?"

"Yeah," but Ariel didn't look away from Daryl. "I got your back Dale. I have Rick's ear."

Dale smiled. "You're a decent man Daryl, so is Rick. Shane, he's different."

"Why's that?" Daryl snatched the rag away from her, cleaning the rest of his hands himself. "Cause he killed Otis?"

"What?" Ariel exclaimed. _I like how no one tells me anything around here._

Dale put his hand up to silence her. "He tell you that?"

"He told some story, how Otis covered him, saved his ass. He showed up with the dead guy's gun." he shook his head. "Rick ain't stupid. If he didn't figure that out, it's cause he didn't wanna. It's like I said, group's broken."

Dale looked at Ariel who gave him a swift nod, an indication that she would talk to Daryl for him. He got up with a huff and then left, leaving the two of them by themselves.

"Got most of it." he showed her his hands, throwing the rag to the side.

"He's right you know." she said quietly. "About you caring, I know you do, I see it when you look at Rick and when you look at me."

He looked away, chewing his thumb. "You know I care about you."

"I know you care about Rick too, and Lori, all of them, whether you say it or not." she said. "Torturing people, Daryl, really?"

"There it is." he sighed, understanding now, what she had been bothered about before. "This is what it's like havin' someone like you? We gotta have a problem with somethin' every damn day?"

"It's not a problem, I'm not trying to start an argument."

"Well what are you trying to do then?"

"Torturing someone isn't you, I know it isn't."

"Haven't known me long enough to know who I am." he growled, but it was sad, so she didn't take it seriously. It was just Daryl being insecure, because they both knew that she _did_ know him. She knew more than others did, probably more than his own brother knew him. She knew what he missed, what he hated about himself, who he hated, what he loved. She knew that in the right light, there were little points of green just before his blue eyes became a pupil. She knew that in the morning when he woke up, his bed hair was miraculous. She knew that he slept one of his hands close to his face, holding the cover tight.

She also knew that he was in love with her but she wouldn't blow his secret just yet.

"Did you torture him because he said his group raped women?"

"You know that's why I didn't want you in there." he said softly. "Because I'd see you in the corner, lookin' at me instead of him and I wouldn't be able to hit him. You make me forget that we live in this world sometimes."

Ariel needed a moment to collect herself. That was a big thing for Daryl to say. Anything he said was big for him, so Ariel always made sure to commit it to memory, like it was the most precious thing in the world. He basically just told her that she took him away from all this pain and suffering and god damn, that was the closest thing she had got to an 'I love you' yet.

"Did it hurt you to do it to him?" she asked.

"A little," he looked over his hands.

"No," she touched his chest. "I mean in here."

He put his hand over hers. "A little."

She sighed. "Why'd you offer to do it then?"

"Who's gonna do it? Rick? Shane? Shane woulda killed him before he got anythin' out of him. 'Sides, been beat up enough and talked down to my whole life, know how to make it work to my advantage."

"You didn't have to do it if you didn't want to."

"He shot at my boys." he said, and it made Ariel smile.

"Your boys, huh?"

"Shut up." but he grinned lightly. "I kinda wanted to hurt him, for almost killin' Rick. But then...when he told me what those guys in his group did...I couldn't. I told you, I couldn't have you in there. But in that moment, I think maybe you bein' there would have been a good thing. Would have shown you what I'm gonna do to protect you. Shane was right, that day at the barn, tellin' us to protect our own, what's ours. You're mine, Ariel, and you ain't gettin' away from me."

Ariel laughed lightly, moving so she could sit on his lap. She breathed into his mouth as she kissed him, a long exhale, like kissing him brought her the greatest relief she could ever hope for. Their tongues mixed together passionately, his hands grabbing her everywhere he could and hers, always, wound through his hair. God, how she _adored_ his hair, it was second best after his eyes. Those eyes of his gave so much away.

"Could kiss you all day." he mumbled.

"That can be arranged."

They crawled into the tent, so into each other that they hadn't even noticed when Carl came up and took one of Daryl's guns.

* * *

The sun was setting by the time everyone had gathered in the house to talk about the prisoner. They all looked weary, Dale looked nervous but Ariel was ready to have his back. She gave him an encouraging nod. She was standing right behind Rick with Daryl, who was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.

"So how do we do this?" Glenn asked. "Just take a vote?"

"You can't vote on someone's life," Ariel said softly. "That's not something you put up to a chance at hands."

Rick touched the bridge of his nose, like he always did when he was nervous and exhausted. "Well, let's just see where everybody stands, then we can talk through the options."

Shane wasted no time in talking. "Well, way I see it, there's only one way to move forward."

"Killing him, right?" Dale snapped. "I mean, why even bother to take a vote? It's clear which way the wind's blowing."

"Well, if people believe we should spare him, I wanna know."

"I think we should." Ariel said. Daryl didn't look to her, but Rick did.

"Really?" he asked.

"Yes, I do. Rick, I don't understand why we can't just keep him prisoner." she went on. "We can put him to work."

Daryl shook his head. "Nah, I ain't lettin' him walk around with the girls, not you or them, not alone."

Lori agreed. "I wouldn't feel safe unless he was tied up."

"We can't exactly put chains around his ankles, sentence him to hard labor." Andrea pointed out.

"Look, say we let him join us, right?" Shane said. "Maybe he's helpful, maybe he's nice. We let our guard down and maybe he runs off, brings back his thirty men."

"That's an if." Ariel said. "_If_ he does those things."

Daryl looked at her. "You ready to deal with that when it happens?"

Glenn put his head in his hands. "We've already lost too many people."

Dale's mouth was open. "So the answer is to kill him to prevent a crime that he may never even attempt? If we do this, we're saying there's no hope. Rule of law is dead. There is no civilization."

Ariel sighed. "What if we put him back on the road?"

Shane clicked his tongue. "Puts him closer to his people."

"I'm just saying ideas Shane, untwist your underwear."

Maggie however, to Ariel's relief was on her side. "She's right, either keeping him prisoner or sending him off again might be better. Let's us go on with a clear conscious."

Again, Shane was unhappy. "Until that line of thinking bites us in the ass."

Patricia finally spoke her opinion. "If you go through with it, how would you do it? Would he suffer?"

"We could hang him, right? Just snap his neck."

"I thought about that," Rick admitted. "Shooting may be more humane."

"What about the body?" T-Dog asked. "Do we bury him?"

"Hold on, hold on!" Dale exclaimed. "You're talking about this like it's already decided."

"You've been talkin' all day," Daryl said, twirling his fingers around. "Goin' around in circles. You just wanna go around in circles again?"

"It's a life Daryl," Ariel said to him. "A life. This is the kind of thing that you go around in circles for. It's not a simple solution, to kill him or not to. It's just getting rid of something that none of you want to deal with. After we've already tortured him." she walked up to Rick and turned him around, forcing his attention on her. "You once said, that we don't kill the living."

"That was before the living tried to kill us." he said, and he was so sad that Ariel didn't know what to say to him.

"Do you really think this is right?" she asked, seriously, and it was when he hesitated that she decided to take his hands. She ignored Lori and Daryl and all of them, and stared right into his blue eyes. "Rick."

"I have no choice." he murmured.

"We all have a choice."

But Rick closed his eyes and breathed out and she knew that she had lost him. She let go of his hands, taking a step back and leaning on Daryl, who did not hold her up. She didn't want him to, she just wanted to feel him there. Rick turned, when no one agreed with Ariel or Dale, and then stared at him.

Dale was in tears. "Are you all going to watch, too? No, you'll go hide in your tents and try to forget that we're slaughtering a human being. Well, I won't be a party to it." he walked past Ariel and Daryl, stopping on the way to put his hands on their shoulders. "This group is broken."

* * *

"What happened?" Ariel asked, standing up from the campfire, watching Daryl walk up to her. She hadn't heard a gunshot or watched them walk out with a body in a bag.

"Ask him." he nodded at Rick.

"I couldn't." Rick said.

Ariel sighed in relief and grabbed Daryl's hand. "That's a good thing."

"Yeah, for now." he muttered, watching Andrea run off to find Dale. "Just don't think that−"

A scream sounded, and Ariel's heart fluttered widely against her chest. She and Daryl did not grip each other, she would have done that before, at the beginning, but not now. Now she was a team, she was a team with Daryl and a part of this group.

She took out her knife the moment Rick yelled for T-Dog to get a shotgun. They all ran towards the yell, as fast as their feet could take them. It was Daryl who got their first, running past them all, and his knife already out, that angel vest of his flapping in the wind. She could almost hit herself in that moment, for thinking of all the things she could write about him, about this angel warrior who fell from heaven only to fight the dead on earth.

Maybe he got there in time, maybe he saved Dale.

He tackled the walker, sticking his knife in the head without hesitation before going back to Dale, kneeling by him.

"Hang in there buddy." Daryl whispered.

The others got there, Andrea falling to her knees, everyone talking too fast. Ariel stood there by his feet, looking at Dale and feeling the tears come. But they were coming to everyone now, all of them, even Shane looked like he was about to lose his mind. And Dale, Dale was...

"He's suffering." Ariel snapped suddenly, realising that her tears were so angry. She was, she was angry at the world, angry at the walkers, at _god_. "Somebody just fucking do something!" she yelled, and she was shaking, but it wasn't Daryl who came up behind her to grab a hold of her, to hold her tight and keep her from hurting herself.

It was Rick.

Daryl had taken Rick's place, down on one knee, with the gun pointed to Dale's head. "Sorry brother," he said.

Ariel closed her eyes.


	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13-**

"Hey," Ariel breathed out when Shane pulled the truck back up. Daryl and T-Dog jumped out from the back, Andrea coming out of the passenger seat. She had been worried all morning, from the funeral until now. They had wanted to out and check the perimeter, the woods nearby, check for anything that could come after them the way one walker had got Dale.

"Hey." Daryl answered gruffly. He gave her a quick peck on the lips, so small and so easy; Ariel couldn't help but widen her smile. He acted like he had done it every day of his life, like kissing good morning in that way was the most natural thing in the world.

Truth of it was Daryl didn't care about public displays of affection _too_ much anymore. It still cost him to smile with his teeth showing, and he definitely didn't stick his tongue in her mouth (which Ariel would have scolded him for anyhow), he did not have her sit on him or hug her from behind, like most couples did. Daryl was about small gestures in letting people know that she belonged to him, holding her hand, giving her a peck, letting her worry about him.

It had been hard last night, after Dale had passed. She had cried for a long time in Daryl's tent, and he had held her. Sleep came and went over and over again until she decided to just sit outside and wait for the sun to rise. He had kissed her on the top of her head when he came out, and what he had said to her was still stuck with her,

_"You ain't gonna lose me." _

Maybe that's why he was doing this now, kissing her like a steady boyfriend in public. Maybe he was becoming more comfortable with it. Or perhaps even, with Dale's death, he could be scared too.

"What's goin' on?" he asked.

Ariel pointed at Rick and Hershel who were talking. "We're moving into the house now." she pointed at his bike, which she had ridden up to the house. "I brought our stuff in already."

"Thanks." he nodded at Rick who gave him a smile.

"Hey," Rick walked up to them. "Do you two mind coming along with me after, deal with Randal?"

"What about Shane?" Daryl asked.

"I'd rather have you two with me." he said pointedly.

"You got it." she slapped his shoulder. "Go put your stuff inside, then we'll talk." she pushed him along, him smiling as he carried his things.

"So, where are we sleepin'?" he mumbled.

"In the living room with everyone else. I put our bags together don't you worry."

"Good." he mumbled.

Rick came back out with a map in hand. "Hey," he tilted his head, and Daryl and Ariel followed him, going over to the side of the porch. He laid the map on the railing and Daryl leant over it, watching Rick. Ariel however, though listening intently, was watching the two of them.

_How things have changed_, she thought, a month ago it would have been Shane looking over the map with Rick, not her and Daryl.

"We'll take him out to Senoia, hour there, hour back, give or take. We may lose the light, but we'll be halfway home by then."

"This little pain in the ass will be a distant memory." Daryl said, sitting on the railing.

"Good riddance."

"I put together some stuff for him," Ariel told them. "Not too much, just to last a few days."

"Alright," he looked at Daryl. "That thing you did last night..."

"Ain't no reason you should do all the heavy lifting."

"Aw, look at you two," Ariel clapped her hands together. "There's nothing like the smell of bromance in the morning."

Rick laughed while Daryl frowned, "Just gotta ruin everythin' don't you?"

"It's why you keep me around." she grinned, nudging Rick to show him that Shane was coming up. "We'll give you two a moment."

"And where are we supposed to go?"

"Inside the house." she hissed. "Come on, let's go help inside."

"Housework ain't my thing." he mumbled.

"Too damn bad." she grinned, opening the door. "Come on."

They walked inside, Daryl nodding at the women and at T-Dog who were moving things around. She watched him notice how the men and women were separated between the two rooms, Daryl and Ariel weirdly in the middle.

"Look uncomfortable," Daryl stepped between the bags, going over to the dining room.

"Best we got." Lori said, following Hershel upstairs.

"Better than nothing." Ariel sighed. "Come on, get that water..."

Daryl took two of the large containers of water while Ariel struggled with one, bringing them down to the basement to store with the rest of them.

"You know," she said, as they placed the water down. "I've always wanted a house like this."

"Bet this isn't the way you thought you'd have it."

"What are you talking about?" she put her hands on her hips. "I've always wanted to live in a house with fourteen other people, with no room for any kind of privacy."

He grinned. "We're just gonna have to take a few more huntin' trips, that's all."

"I think Rick might follow if we do that, he's falling hard for you." she teased, poking his stomach.

"Don't do that," he mumbled. "And he's not."

"He trusts you with his life, a lot more now than he did before." she put her arms around his neck and kissed him, long and slow, running her tongue along his lip. "Rick found himself an honorable man to be his second in command."

Daryl grabbed her butt, making her squeal. "I ain't that honorable."

* * *

"Only got so many arrows." T-Dog came up with a gun, handing it to Daryl. Ariel was leaning against the side, waving at Rick who was walking up to them.

"Is that Dale's gun?"

"Yeah."

"Wish I knew where the hell mine is." he grumbled.

"Ready?" Rick asked, reaching them.

"Yeah."

"I'll get him." T-Dog said.

"Thanks." Rick said.

"So who's sitting in the back with him?" Ariel asked, taking Daryl's crossbow and giving it to him. "I don't mind."

"Like hell." Daryl said.

Ariel rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, he won't be able to do anything to me tied up."

"No, I agree with Daryl." Rick said. "I'd rather have you driving."

"I'm not so good with maps." she pointed at Daryl. "That's why I follow him around. He's like a walking gps."

Rick smiled. "Well that's why I'll be next to you with the map. I don't mind telling you where to go, but I don't want you in the back with him."

Daryl nodded. "Kid tries anythin'; I'll put an arrow in his fuckin' face before he can finish what he tried starting."

"You're both a little overdramatic." Ariel stared at them, but she had to admit, she adored the way that they were protective of her. It was like having a boyfriend and a brother all in one.

"Guys?" T-Dog came running back, with a look on his face that sent Ariel's heart down into her stomach. Those looks were never good.

"What's wrong?" Rick asked.

T-Dog stopped. "Randall's missing."

* * *

"Rick! Rick!" Shane came from the trees, bloody and broken.

"Christ," Ariel looked at Daryl, but he was already loading up his crossbow. Never wasted a breath, Daryl Dixon.

"What happened?" Lori yelled.

"He's armed! He's got my gun!"

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, little bastard just snuck up on me. He clocked me in the face." his eyes were crazy wild, like he was ready to kill, not just Randall but any poor bastard who got in his way.

"All right, Hershel, T-Dog, get everyone back in the house." Rick yelled, his anger not quite to the same extent as Shane's but enough to get Lori scared.

"Go on," Daryl said to Ariel.

"No way, I'm coming with you."

"No you ain't!" he snapped, ignoring everyone else talking to each other. Lori was begging Rick not to go. "I ain't havin' you out there while he has a weapon."

"We were going to do this together in the beginning, let's just do it together now."

"He was tied up before." he shook his head.

"Hey," she took his face in her hands. "It's you and me, we're a team. You have to believe in me."

He stared at her for a long moment, before muttering, "You stick by me, you hear?"

"Always." she kissed him briefly, taking out her gun. It still felt weird, carrying one on her now, but she had made the decision this morning after the funeral. After what happened to Dale, how could she not...besides, like she had said, she and Daryl were a team now. She had to have his back and much as he had hers. That's how it worked with everything in relationships, whether you were in the zombie apocalypse or not.

* * *

"He's hobbled, exhausted." Rick said. "He couldn't have gotten far." trying to be positive in a continuous shitty situation was a trait that Ariel admired about Rick, no matter how much it seemed like it was uncalled for. Not for her anyway, she appreciated his attitude, whereas Shane did not.

"He's armed." Glenn pointed out.

"So are we,"

"How are we doing?" Ariel asked Daryl who was looking down at the ground. "Are you finding any footprints?"

"No, I don't see nothin'."

"Hey look, there ain't no use in tracking him, okay? He went that way, we need to pair up. We spread out, we just chase him down. That's it." Shane was getting fidgety and it was making Ariel nervous. She wondered if he was really afraid, which to her, sounded dumb. After all, sure, he was with a weapon, but only one gun and they were four people.

"Kid weights a buck-25 soaking wet." Daryl snapped. "You tryin' to tell us he got the jump on you?"

Shane glared at him. "I saw a rock pretty much evens those odds, wouldn't you?"

"Alright, knock it off." Rick snapped. "You, Ariel and Glenn start heading up the right flank. Me and Shane'll take the left."

Ariel breathed in nervously, kissing Rick on the cheek. He seemed surprised, which she didn't know why, weren't people starting to figure out that she just liked showing affection. "Be careful." she told him. "Randall isn't the only dangerous things in these woods."

* * *

"It's dark as fuck." Ariel said, her gun was starting to get sweaty from being in her hands.

Daryl nodded. "This is pointless. You got a light?"

Glenn handed him a flashlight. Daryl twirled it around for a bit before sighing loudly and bringing them back to where they had been with Shane and Rick.

"We're just back to square one." Glenn said.

"If you're gonna do a thing, you might as well do it right." he bumped Glenn, making him look. "There's two sets of tracks right here. Shane must have followed him a lot longer than he said." he then put the flashlight to the tree. "There's fresh blood on this tree, more tracks right there. Looks like they're walking in tandem."

Ariel bit her lip. "What if Shane did to Randall what he did to Otis?"

"What?" Glenn asked in a weird, loud whisper. "What did he do to Otis."

"We think he killed him." she explained. "Daryl thinks his story doesn't match."

"Doesn't match up to what?" he asked, watching Daryl point the flashlight down. "What other story do we have to compare it to?"

"There was a little dust up right here." Daryl said, interrupting their conversation.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, something went down." he picked up the blindfold that they had used around Randall's eyes. "Had a little trouble."

A cracking of a tree branch had them scatter, Glenn and Ariel behind one tree, Daryl behind another. He whistled and threw the flashlight to Glenn, then pointed at Ariel then at himself. He lifted both his fingers in the air and beckoned her towards him.

_He wants me to cover him. We're a team_.

Ariel grinned like an idiot and nodded. All three of them took their breaths, and waited, hearing the footsteps rustle in the woods. Glenn turned first, flashing the light in the walker's face. When he realised that it was Randall, he froze for a moment, the walker overcoming him. Daryl fired a shot but missed and Ariel took out her knife.

She would not leave this for the boys. She ducked as the walker dived for her, on her knees she sliced the back of his knees, watching him fall easily. Quickly, Daryl watching, impressed, she stuck the knife in his head.

"Nice." Daryl hit her stomach. He got down on his knees, observing Randall. "He got his neck broke," he said after a few moments. "He's got no bites or scratches."

"Yeah, none you can see." Glenn said.

"No, I'm tellin' you, he died from this."

"That's impossible." Ariel said.

"Come on," Daryl muttered. "Let's go back, nothing we can do about this now."

But Ariel was worried. If Shane had killed Randall, why was he leading them on this wild goose chase? And then it hit her like a brick only seconds after the question that she had thought to herself. It hit her and she almost stumbled back from the realization of it, literally taking steps back from her surprise.

"Oh my god." Ariel grabbed Daryl's arm. "Rick."

"What's wrong?" he mumbled.

"I think..." but she couldn't think, not straight anyway. But if she was right, if things were what she thought. "I have to go find Rick..."

"Are you crazy, I told you that you ain't leavin' my sight."

"Please Daryl."

"You don't even know where they went!" he yelled.

"Hey, do you trust me?"

"You know I do, but−"

"I think Shane's going to kill Rick." she blurted out. "I think he killed Otis and Randall and he brought us out here and separated us so he could kill Rick."

"He wouldn't." Glenn shook his head. "Shane's a little crazy, but he wouldn't kill Rick, he wouldn't."

Daryl looked unsure. "There's no tellin' what Shane would do. But we ain't any good to Rick walkin' around blind in the forest either. Come on, let's get back, I'm sure he's fine. Rick can take care of himself."

Ariel went with him, biting her lip the whole way with the worst feeling in her stomach.

* * *

"Rick?!" Ariel yelled, practically kicking off the door. "RICK!"

"What's wrong?" Lori asked getting up from her seat.

"Rick and Shane ain't back yet?" Daryl asked.

"No."

"We heard a shot." Ariel took Daryl's and squeezed it until her fingers were white.

"Maybe they found Randall." Lori suggested.

"We found Randall."

"Is he back in the shed?"

"He was a walker," Ariel said, quickly so that people did not keep asking questions. Didn't anyone understand that they needed to find Rick? This is exactly what she was afraid of. "His neck was broken, we think that Shane and Rick got into it..." she trailed off and looked around them in exasperation. "I told you, I told you that we should have gone to look for Rick."

Lori looked like she was about to burst into tears. "Would you go try and find them?"

"You got it." Daryl said, grabbing Ariel's hand again and bringing her out of the kitchen. They walked out of the house, but when they did, Daryl stopped in his tracks.

"Oh my god." Ariel put a hand on his arm.

"Stay by me." he told her as Patricia went inside to kill the lights, and Andrea went for the guns.

"Maybe they're just passing, like the herd on the highway." Glenn suggested. "Should we just go inside?"

"Not unless there's a tunnel downstairs I don't know about." Daryl murmured. "A herd that size would rip the house down."

"Carl's gone." Lori came out in a rush.

"What?" Daryl snapped.

"He was upstairs, I can't find him anywhere. He's supposed to be upstairs. I'm not leaving without my boy."

"We're not," Beth said, "We'll find him."

Maggie started unloading the guns when Andrea brought them out. She handed one to Glenn and another to Ariel.

"Maggie," Glenn was astounded.

"You grow up country, you pick up a thing or two."

"I got the number," Daryl said. "It's no use."

"Really?" Ariel snapped. "Really?"

"What," he said. "You gonna take 'em all on?"

"We have guns," Hershel said, loading his gun. "We have cars."

"Kill as many as we can," Andrea agreed. "And we'll use the cars to lead the rest of them off the farm."

"You serious?" Daryl asked.

"This is my farm." Hershel said. "I'll die here."

"All right, it's a good as night as any." he slipped over the railing, jumping to the ground but not going further until he knew Ariel was following him. They got on his bike, Daryl starting it up and going towards the barn, taking out his gun. She got up with him, but didn't remove herself from the bike, shooting with him.

The fire was burning, and it was that more than anything that gave her hope.

"I think Rick's in there." she yelled. "What if he set the barn on fire!"

"Be one of his better decisions." he tapped her thigh so she could sit, driving over to the rv."Yo!" he said to Jimmy. "Must have been Rick or Shane who started that fire! Maybe they're trying to get out back! Why don't you circle around? Go!"

He started the bike again, Ariel holding on, firing shots as they went. She knew that the farm was lost, but that did not mean that they had to go down with it.

"We need Rick." she whispered, but she knew Daryl couldn't hear her. "We need Rick." They stopped at the dirt trail up the ways, looking at the barn burn and the farm get overrun completely. There was nothing left, just like their camp, just like the C.D.C and now just like the barn. Everything they worked for, gone in just a moment.

"We gotta go." He said, holding her hand that was around her stomach. He brought it up quickly, giving it a soft kiss.

"But Rick..." she put her forehead against Daryl's leather vest and let out a whimper. She thought of all of them, or Lori, Carl, Glenn, Maggie, Hershel, Beth, Dog, even Shane and Andrea...what had happened? Where were they?

"We'll circle back to the highway." Daryl called out. "Sure Rick made it back there."

She hadn't even noticed that the sun was coming up. She spoke very little when Daryl had somehow managed to find his way to Glenn and Maggie, and then again to Beth, Lori and T-Dog, but all she kept thinking was that if they lost Rick, then a piece of her would be broken up. This whole group was her family and she hated the idea that she could choose so easily, but Rick had been the one to take her in when no one wanted her, even before Daryl. Rick was the sun, Daryl was the moon, and she was the sky that would be nothing without them.

So when they drove up to that highway, Daryl and Ariel in the front, her heart soared when she saw them. They parked, Ariel bounding out of her seat to hug Rick before the others got out of the car. He chuckled as she did, shaking hands with Daryl who was behind her.

"Never do that again." she told him, crying all over again. "You son of a bitch."

"It's good to see you too." he pulled back and kissed her forehead, smiling at her with that gorgeous face of his before turning to reunite with his son and wife.

"Where'd you find everyone?" Rick asked Daryl, because of course, it had to be Daryl who would have the ability to reunite them.

"Well, those guys' tail lights zigzagging all over the road, figured he had to be Asian, driving like that."

"Good one." Glenn said, actually smiling.

"Where's the rest of us?" Daryl asked.

"We're the only ones who made it so far." Rick said.

"Shane?" Lori asked, but Rick shook his head.

"Andrea?"

"We saw her go down." T-Dog said.

"Patricia?" Hershel asked.

"They got her too." Beth cried. "Took her right in front of me, I was...I was holdin' onto her, daddy. She just, what about Jimmy? Did you see Jimmy?"

"He was in the rv," Rick said sadly. "'It got overrun."

"You definitely saw Andrea?" Ariel asked. "Did you see her?"

"I'm gonna go back." Daryl said.

"No," Ariel took his shoulder. "You cannot leave me."

"We can't just leave her." he protested.

"Hey, I need you here." she said. "Andrea's either dead or found her own way to get out of there. This is where you need to be now."

"She's right, Daryl." Rick said.

"Alright," he murmured. "Well we gotta stay off the main roads then, the bigger the road, the more walkers, more assholes like this one, I got him." he put an arrow right through his head. While the others conversed and Daryl went to retrieve his arrow, Ariel followed him. He stopped and stared at her while he got his arrow out.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

Ariel grabbed his face and kissed him. She didn't care about the whistle noises T-Dog made, or Carl saying 'ew', or Rick and Glenn laughing. All she knew was that she had never been so happy to be alive than in this moment.

"I love you." she breathed.

Daryl sighed. "Love you too."

She pulled back, smiling widely, her hands shaking, not out of anxiety this time but out of pure joy. "What?"

"Don't make a big deal," he muttered.

She laughed and kissed him again. "You love me."

"Yeah well, we just both almost died, so figured I better say it before the day is done."

* * *

Rick honked the car, allowing Daryl to halt the motorcycle. "You out?" he yelled out over his shoulder.

"Running on fumes." Rick called back.

"We can't stay here." Maggie said.

"'We can't all fit in one car." Glenn put in.

"We'll have to make a run for some gas in the morning." Rick said.

"We can spend the night here," Ariel suggested. "We can build a fire."

Daryl nodded. "Go out lookin' for firewood in teams, stay close." he looked at Rick. "Only got so many arrows, how you doin' on ammo?"

"Not enough." Rick said.

"We can't just sit here with our asses hanging out." Maggie said.

Ariel laughed while Hershel scolded her. "Watch your mouth, everyone stop panicking and listen to Rick."

"All right, we'll set up a perimeter and in the morning we'll find gas and some supplies. We'll keep pushing on."

"Glenn and I can go make a run now, try and scrounge up some gas." Maggie suggested.

Ariel shook her head. "We all just got back together, and now you want to split us up again? What happens if we can't get to you or you back to us and then you don't have a car?"

Glenn shook his head. "We're stranded now anyway."

"I know it looks bad, we've all been through hell and worse, but at least we found each other. I wasn't sure, I really wasn't, but we did. We're together. We keep it that way. We'll find shelter somewhere, there's gotta be a place."

"Rick, look around." Glenn said. "There's walkers everywhere. They're migrating or something."

"Leave it," Ariel snapped. "Rick is right, we can do this. There's more to this life than running, there has to be. There is a place for us there, like the farm where we can..."

"Build a life for each other," Rick finished, looking at her with adoration. "We just have to find it."

Maggie shook her head. "Even if we do find a place, and we think it's safe, we can never be sure for how long. Look what happened with the farm, we fooled ourselves into thinking that it was safe."

"We won't make that mistake again." Hershel told her.

"Rick," Ariel pointed to a small array of bricks looking like it could shield them from site. "We can camp there for the night."

Rick nodded. "Get on the road at the break of day."

"What if walkers come through," Beth said, "or another group like Randall's?"

"You know I found Randall, right?" Daryl said to him. "He had turned, but he wasn't bit."

"How's that possible?"

"Rick," Lori said. "What the hell happened?"

"Shane killed Randall," Daryl answered for Rick. "Just like he always wanted to."

"And then the herd got him?"

Rick took a moment to himself, looking at everyone of them. But when he spoke, he didn't look at anyone, just a spot over Daryl's shoulder. "We're all infected. At the C.D.C, Jenner told me. Whatever it is, we all carry it."

"Rick..." Ariel breathed.

"Would it have made a difference if I told everyone? How could I have known for sure?"

"'That is not your call!" Glenn exclaimed. "When I found out about the walkers in the barn, I told, for the good of everyone."

"Glenn..."Ariel said.

"Well I thought it best if people didn't know." Rick said, walking off. Ariel wanted to go to him but she knew that it was not her place, so she watched as Lori went after him.

"Christ," Ariel whispered, putting her head in her hands. "The day just started and I want it to end."

"Careful what you wish for." he mumbled, resetting his crossbow.

* * *

"It's cold," Ariel whispered, her head on Daryl's chest. Because it had been cold, he had given her the free pass of putting her legs over his. "Body heat works better than this you know."

"I ain't takin' off my clothes for you," he whispered, but he kissed her forehead all the same.

"Not yet anyway." she pulled him closer, cuddling up to him.

"I think we should take our chances." Maggie said.

"Don't be foolish," Hershel murmured. "There's no food, no fuel, no ammo."

"Besides," Ariel said, she was getting tired of everyone saying the same thing over and over again. She and Daryl were both on Rick with this one. "Running around in the dark isn't going to fix anything. We have no cars either, so what the hell is the point of panicking."

"We need to move, now." Maggie said.

Rick was losing his patience, anger that had dwelt in him was bursting through. "I'm keeping this group together, alive. I've been doing that all along, no matter what! I didn't ask for this! I killed my best friend for you people, for Christ's sake!" but as he was yelling he was staring at Lori the whole time. Daryl was staring up at him, not with judgement but with understanding, Ariel could only look at him with sympathy. "You saw what he was like, how he pushed me, how he compromised us, how he threatened us! He staged the whole Randall thing, led me out to put a bullet in my back."

Daryl gripped Ariel's hand, because she had been right.

"You had to kill him." Ariel whispered, but it was so low that Rick didn't hear. _Better Shane than Rick. _

"He gave me no choice." Rick said. "He was my friend, but he came after me. My hands are clean. Maybe you people are better off without me. Go ahead. I say there's a place for us, but maybe...maybe it's just another pipe dream. Maybe I'm fooling myself again. Why don't you go out and find out, send me a postcard. Go on, there's the door. You can do better? Let's see how far you get. No takers? Fine. But get one thing straight, you're staying. This isn't a democracy anymore."


	15. Chapter 14

**some replies:**

**microspider: i give you thanks, and i am glad you enjoyed the sweetness**

**katarzyna88gb: I LOVE that you love my story I will definitely update as much as I can, thank you!**

y2j591: THEY REALLY DO. and yes yes yes yes i saw the trailer and I FREAKING FLIPPTITY FLIPPED. IM SO PUMPED

**devilyanno: you are also, brilliant**

**destinyrose18: as usual, I thank you**

**also peeps, if you like this story, i have an actual self published book you can order off amazon or createspace (info in my bio) i would love the support and i promise you my novel is written way better**

**thank you lovelies **

* * *

**Chapter 14-**

The winter had turned them into something that Ariel would not have recognized months ago, when she had first met everyone at the camp. The Grimes were a hard, half broken family, with a sad mother, a torn father and a son who did not even blink in the face of danger anymore. Beth too, though still sensitive was learning to grow stronger, understanding her place in the group. Glenn and Maggie were as strong as ever, Hershel as hopeful and positive, but still, they were sad and tired too. No one compared to Rick, with a slight crazy look in his eyes whether they were on the run or not. He seemed grateful more than anything that he had Daryl and Ariel backing his decisions from the get go, whereas the others had not.

Ariel and Daryl had somehow managed to get softer in the zombie apocalypse while also managing to kick a lot more ass. With each other, Daryl had become a man who had learnt to use his words calmly, most of the time, and was slowly, but surely, learning to talk to her more and more about something that was on his mind. Things came easy to them now; they were a team together as much as they were with Rick in the middle of them. Daryl and Ariel were able to communicate without words.

Ariel was the one who had to learn to toughen up. Once she had, she had been able to be on the same level of Daryl, which was what made them work so well together as a team. She had managed to do that and help out Lori and Beth with tending to laundry and cooking. She had also been planning with Hershel, talking about Lori's baby; being a nurse was definitely going to help their situation.

The winter had been hard, but they were harder people.

And besides, they had found their sanctuary.

The prison had been something that Daryl and Rick had come across on their hunting trip that morning. They had managed to clear out the courtyard and were only going to worry about the rest of the prison the following day. Everyone was too happy to deal with the rest of it, everyone, except Rick and Daryl. Rick was circling the fence for the third time since they had set up a fire, and Daryl had put himself as the watchful owl, standing on an overturned vehicle.

Ariel was walking up to him with food in her hand. He looked good even now, having found a poncho on their travels; it was something at least to keep him a little warmer. She had suggested a number of other ways to try and keep warm but to no avail. It was very hard to find alone time while on the run. Their hunting trips had been with Rick, or Daryl would leave her and go on his own or with Rick. They stole kisses in the day, but they had not been able to properly touch each other, and that was hurting her. It wasn't because she was sex crazy or anything; she just missed feeling close to him. Sure, they slept "together"; they slept in separate sleeping bags next to each other for the first few weeks, until Daryl decided to merge the two into one, zipping them both together. Even then, all they did was cuddle, but it was not enough for her. She wanted to forget the winter and just _be_ with him.

The cuddling _had_ been good though. There had been _one_ morning where they had stolen for themselves, all whispers and hands over mouths and biting lips so no one would scream.

It really wasn't her fault.

The best way Ariel thought to describe Daryl sleeping was like an afraid but weirdly alert child. He liked to hold on to something for security, which hadn't surprised her from the beginning. It used to be a blanket pulled all the way up to his mouth so no one can see him, and now he used her, digging his face into the back of her neck, she wondered how he got enough oxygen with his face hidden the way it was. Despite this, he was a restless sleeper.

Anyhow...

Ariel slept in a ball, usually, but she had learnt to sleep a little straighter to help their situation. One of the first nights of winter of their combined sleeping arrangement she had been her ball and Daryl had gone behind her, one hand loosely positioned on her hip while the other cushioned his head. They had both slept well, and Daryl a little too well, since as they woke up, his hard on was pressed firmly against her butt, which, she had curled right into him.

Luckily they had been the only ones up, and Ariel had found ways to relieve Daryl of his tension.

"Thanks," Ariel said, smiling at her thoughts. Daryl helped her up onto the vehicle and she handed him his food. "That's not much. But if I don't bring you something, you won't eat at all."

Daryl began to dig in appreciatively. "Guess little Shane over there's got quite the appetite."

Ariel laughed, smacking his arm. "Don't be mean. Shane could never have done what Rick has done for us."

"Preachin' to the choir." he mumbled, taking a bite into his fruit. "What do you think?" he nodded at the prison.

Ariel shrugged. "It seems like it could work. The courtyard is enough to give me a reason to smile."

Daryl shook his head. "Sick of sleepin' outside, we need a place like this, some place we can get better, recover from the shit we just went through."

"I think we'll be okay here." she said with a nod. "I mean, it's a prison, it has to be stable."

"Question is what we're gonna run into in there." he licked his fingers, sauntering up to her to close the space between them. "You were a good shot today, up in the tower."

"I'm always a good shot." she hooked her fingers in the belt loops of his pants, pulling him close. Then she crinkled her nose. "Minus the moment I almost shot Rick."

"Yeah, minus that." he caught her laughter with his mouth, soaking it all in. His hand was at the back of her neck to deepen the kiss as much as possible. Neither one of them had been able to have enough of the other. Their tongues mixing, their breathing labored, it only made the both of them want more. Daryl showed it in the bulge of his pants while Ariel's was hidden in her wetness.

"You're going to kill me one day." Ariel sighed.

"I'm sorry." he pulled back. They hadn't kissed like that in a long time. She missed that, his tongue in her mouth, his arms around her so tight she felt like he would consume her. This is what she missed more than anything about the farm, having him all to herself.

"You know," she looked down. "The car _is_ on its side. I bet if we just lie down right there, we can have some fun without anyone seeing."

"Right," he shook his head. "Might not see it, but they'd sure as hell hear it."

"I'll cover your mouth again."

Daryl rolled his eyes. "Think you're gettin mixed up. It was me coverin' _your_ mouth, remember? Who got excited right after?"

"Well honestly, your face makes it really hard not to get excited."

Daryl laughed a lovely laugh, sending a shiver through her. That was another thing the winter had brought them, his white toothed smiles. He saved them only for her, and it was that which warmed her more than the sun did in the cold days. She had finally earned him.

"We should get back." he told her, kissing her gently this time.

"Are you sure? The grass looks pretty comfortable."

"Would you get down?" he shook his head, going off the vehicle first, and holding his arms out. She jumped down into them, which she didn't need to do, but figured she'd give him his daily dose of feeling manly. For a moment, she thought about it, about just sticking her hand down his pants and taking him right then and there. It's not like he would refuse.

She decided to respect his annoying wishes and not throw him down onto the ground and ride him to tomorrow. But she was sure to leave him with something memorable before they made their way back to camp.

Ariel set her hand on him, through his jeans, cupping him. He gasped in shock, his hand slapping the car behind them, his face halfway between pain and pleasure as she stroked him antagonizing slow through his jeans.

"I want it soon." she whispered right in his ear, placing kisses on the side of his neck. "We have a place now, and we both have needs. Tomorrow, once we get over this stuff, I want you."

"A-Ariel..." he breathed, and she knew he was already close because Daryl could not hold out as long as another man might have been able. She loved him all the same for it, she liked to think it had to do with her intimidating him, in a good way though, that he just got so turned on her couldn't control it.

She smiled and bit down on his neck a little, leaving him tortured without her finishing for him. She walked away with a smile, him taking some moments to himself before he began to follow. Beth was singing, she had captured Rick's attention and he had finally decided to join the group.

He stood next to Ariel and it made her feel bad, because he stood next to her more than he did next to his wife. She hated that, and she truly felt sorry for Lori, because she was just as confused and terrified as Rick was. Ariel however, did not get involved, because it was definitely not her business and quite frankly, she had enough problems with the end of the world without involving herself in the problems of a married couple.

"Beautiful," Hershel said when they were finished.

Glenn put his hand on Maggie's leg, smiling.

Rick sighed. "Better all turn in. I'll take watch over there, we've got a big day tomorrow."

"What do you mean?" Glenn asked.

"Look I know we're all exhausted. This was a great win. But we gotta push just a little bit more. Most of the walkers are dressed as guards or prisoners, looks like this place fell pretty early. Could mean the supplies may be intact. They have an infirmary, a commissary."

"An armory?" Daryl asked.

"That would be outside the prison itself, but not too far away. Warden's offices would have info on the location. Weapons, food, medicine, this place could be a gold mine!"

Hershel looked pensive. "We're dangerously low on ammo. We'll run out before we make a dent."

Rick was losing his patience, like he so often did now a days, so Ariel spoke up for him like she always did. "If we could survive the winter outside without getting run over by two herds, we can take a prison in zones or something. Its hand to hand combat, how hard can it be? We bring our knives and axes and we're good to go."

Rick nodded. "After all we've been through, we can handle it, and I know it. These assholes don't stand a chance." he gave them all a reassuring look and walked away, Lori getting up to follow him. Ariel watched them go before sighing and sitting down, a little behind the group.

Daryl didn't sit next to her; he just stood about a foot behind her. He was a smart man, he knew when she needed him, and right now, he knew that she just wanted to close her eyes and feel alone. Ironically, just like her situation with Daryl, it was very hard to find alone time in this type of world.

* * *

"I don't like this." Ariel said angrily. "I'm always with you guys for this shit."

Daryl wasn't saying anything which didn't improve her mood in the slightest. Rick was trying to get her to stay calm. "Listen," Rick said his hand on her shoulder. "I need you here with Lori and the others, luring the walkers away. There's enough of us on the inside, you and Carl are my last two great shots, and I need you here, protecting them."

"We're a team."

"And right now you're taking one for the team."

She sighed loudly, showing off her displeasure. "You're lucky I love you, Rick."

"I know that." he grinned.

"Ready?" Hershel asked.

"Be fucking careful." Ariel snapped to her boys.

Daryl and Rick nodded as he opened the door, leading out to the courtyard. T-Dog entered through and stabbed a walker, Daryl, Rick, Maggie and Glenn coming in after him, all forming a circle and going around stabbing the walkers in the head. Ariel wanted to watch them, to make sure they were alright, but she had a job and had to play her part. She yelled and smashed on the gates, drawing the walker to the fence and stabbing them through their eyes each and every time.

"I can't see them." Lori said in a panicked tone. "Can you see them?"

"They moved towards the back, they'll be okay." she said soothingly, more to herself than Lori.

She wasn't an idiot; she knew Daryl and the others would be fine. Still though, she could not help but freak out over the fact that she did not have his back right now.

When Rick yelled 'stop!' she knew that they had won the prison.

* * *

"What do you think?" Rick asked.

"Home sweet home." Glenn said, coming in with all of their things.

Rick nodded. "For the time being."

"It's secure?" Lori asked.

"This cell block is."

"What about the rest of the prison?" Hershel set down his things, looking at Rick.

"In the morning, we'll find the cafeteria, and the infirmary."

"We'll sleep in the cells?" Beth asked.

Rick nodded. "I found the keys on some guards. Daryl has a set too."

"I ain't sleepin' in no cage, I'll take the perch." he mumbled.

Ariel rolled her eyes. "I guess we're taking the perch." she grabbed her things again and followed him up the stairs, throwing her things down. "Really? We can't have beds like normal people?"

"Says who?" he muttered. "Gonna just move the mattress over here. Come on and help." he walked back down and she followed, each of them taking a mattress from the cell.

"You know, I really wish I would have gone with you today."

"Better that you didn't." he mumbled. "Was different on the road, but with strategy like this, we need someone protectin Lori, Beth and Hershel."

"That's what Carl's for," she grunted, nearly pulling a muscle as she dragged the mattress back up onto the perch.

"Ain't enough." he set his down and took hers away, putting it next to his. He threw the two pillows down onto it, spreading his poncho out over it. When he realised that his poncho was not enough for the both of them, he decided to go back down to collect the sheets. "Besides," he said, when he came back up. "Gives me a peace of mind seein' you far away from them."

"I thought we were a team."

"We are a team. But like I said, the road is a different place, we all had to pull our weight. Lori needs you here, Beth's too young, and if somethin' happens, she needs you and Hershel."

"I want to do more than take care of a baby," she kneeled on her mattress as he lay down on his. "I can do the same things everyone else can."

"I get that." he sighed. "But Rick wants you with his wife, and I don't think Lori minds havin' you around, bein' a nurse and a fighter. Makes her calmer. It's just until the baby gets here. Once she gives birth, Lori and Rick will take care of the kid."

"Fine." she mumbled, lying down. His hands were behind his head, but Ariel didn't cuddle up to him tonight. It's not that she didn't want to, or that she was upset with him, she was just... "I'm fucking exhausted." she mumbled.

"Yeah," he sighed. "Me too."

"About what I said yesterday..." she was staring at the ceiling, her eyes were so heavy. "Do you think we can just...postpone it?"

"We've done alright so far." he sighed in relief, and she wondered if the real reason they hadn't had sex was because this world was just tiring them out. They were like a couple of old people.

"Maybe tomorrow." she said.

"Maybe tomorrow." he agreed.

"Thank you." she breathed, closing her eyes. "I love you."

"I love you too."

* * *

T-Dog, Daryl, Rick, Hershel, Glenn and Maggie were preparing and arming themselves with Beth and Lori watching from a distance while Ariel was glaring at them up close.

"Stop looking at me like that." Rick smiled at her. "I know you don't like this."

"I hate it." she mumbled.

"I need you here." he didn't chuckle, but she wished that he would have. She missed seeing him smile. "You and Carl are going to keep the other two girls safe."

"Carl could do well on his own." she muttered.

Daryl shook his head at Rick, "It's a losing discussion that we ain't even gonna have." he looked at her. "Told you already that you ain't comin' with us."

"I know, I know," she exclaimed. "The road is different."

"It is, and if something happens with Lori, it's you who needs to deliver that kid. So stay sharp woman." he grinned and kissed her forehead. "I'll make it up to you later.

"Promise?"

"No." he grinned.

Ariel frowned. "You're an asshole."

He chuckled, leaving the cell block. Ariel grabbed Rick's arm before he left and stared at him sharply. "You watch him."

"Always."

They left, and Carl shut the door.

* * *

**ok so i know this fucking sucked but i needed to update or else i would be behind because i didn't do it yesterday. next one will be longer, i promise i promise, im just so tired from not getting proper sleep**


	16. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15-**

"They'll be okay." Lori said to Ariel, sitting down next to her on the steps. Ariel had been staring at the cell block door since the boys had left. She was a little proud of herself for not scratching her arms until they would bleed. Things were different now, and everyone was nervous, not just her. Scratching her arms would not fix anything.

"I hate not being there." she mumbled.

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault." Ariel took Lori's hand and forced a smile. That was all this poor woman needed, to feel even worse about her life.

"I'm the one with the baby." she said bitterly.

"Yeah, but I would have offered to stay if Hershel wasn't going to stay behind with you. The guys were right; someone who knew about the medical stuff had to be with you. I would have hated not being there anyway, regardless of the reason. Doesn't mean I don't care about you either."

Lori squeezed her hand. "Thank you." she sighed. "Quite frankly, I'm surprised the baby survived the winter."

Ariel wouldn't admit it to her, but she was just as surprised. She didn't think saying that would help all of Lori's doubts though. Truth of the matter was, not only had the baby survived the winter, but stress and malnutrition. "Hey, your baby is a Grimes." she bumped her playfully with her shoulder. "There isn't a thing they can't survive."

"I thought that was a Dixon thing." Lori grinned.

"I think they rubbed off on each other." Ariel admitted.

"You know, I had so many doubts about Daryl when this first all started, but he has proved himself beyond all the others. I think you might have something to do with that."

"Nah," Ariel said. "He had a bunch of reasons to get better; I might have just been one of them. But this whole group affected him, Rick probably more than me."

"I don't know, I wouldn't be so sure."

Yelling interrupted their conversation, spurring Ariel to her feet, her knife coming out immediately. She heard...Maggie? Then Rick, coming up quick, "Open the door! It's Hershel! Carl, come on!"

Carl opened the door immediately and the others carried in Hershel on a rolling medical table. Ariel gasped as the others were yelling, leading him into a cell. She bounded down the steps with Lori, feeling a little worried when she noticed that Daryl wasn't in the room with them. Rick would have said something though, he would have looked at her, sent her a sign. Daryl was fine, he had to be. Like they had just said, he's a Dixon, and they survived.

"...you got it in time." Lori was saying in the room, as Rick, Lori, Glenn and Ariel carried Hershel onto the bed.

Ariel got on her knees immediately, examining the wound and immediately pressing the sheets against it to slow the bleeding down. "I need bandages."

"We used everything we had!" Glenn exclaimed.

Lori turned to Carl. "Carl, go get the towels from the back, right next to my bed!" her son left the room immediately.

Beth was crying. "Is he gonna die?" Lori took Beth and held her close, whispering to her in her ear.

Rick got close to Ariel. "You think you can stabilize him?"

"I need to keep his leg elevated. Get me some pillows." Rick did as she said. "Rick," she whispered, fearing his answer. "Daryl?"

"He's okay." he murmured.

Ariel nodded, listening to Glenn talk. "We can burn the wound to clot the blood. I can start a fire.

"No, the shock could kill him." Ariel said quickly. "It's not going to stop the arteries from bleeding. We need to keep it dressed and let it heal on its own." She wanted to ask Rick what was going on, where Daryl was if he wasn't here, and if, despite this horrible accident, if the group had got what they needed from their trip. She found however that she could not bring herself to ask any questions, and so stayed extremely quiet as she kept pressing against the wound. Her hands were so steady that it surprised her, the winter really had changed her.

Slowly the cell filed out, eventually leaving only Lori and Ariel in the room. This was becoming a common theme, just the two of them. Maggie and Beth and Glenn wove themselves in and out of the room to check on them, but nothing was shifting too much. Some generous amount of time went by until the bleeding slowed down a little, but it did not ease Ariel. Her mind was somewhere else.

"It has to stop eventually right?" Lori asked. "It slowed down quite a bit already."

Ariel nodded. "If we can get him through this..."

"When we get him through this."

"We'll need crutches."

"Right now, we could use some antibiotics. Pain killers, some sterile gauze. There's gotta be an infirmary here."

"If there is one, Rick will find it...you must be worried about the baby." she treaded carefully, mostly because she didn't want Lori to know that _she _was worried about delivering the baby.

"Look at me. Do I look worried?"

"You look disgusting."

Lori laughed. "So do you."

"I have to say, I am definitely looking forward to a shower. The prison has to have that, right?"

"They should." Lori murmured. "Maybe you and Daryl can team up, save some water and all that."

Ariel grinned. "Shut up."

* * *

It wasn't that Ariel _wasn't_ glad to see Rick the second time he returned to the cell. She really was, because every time she saw him it gave her relief that he and Daryl were doing well. He wouldn't be so calm if something had happened to Daryl, and he was not so cruel to keep something like that from her anyway. Still though, she wished Daryl would show up soon. They hadn't gone this long without each other in quite some time. It wasn't like Ariel couldn't handle being alone or with the others, because she could, but she had gotten so used to being a team with him that it was odd for her to be on her own. Watching his back, and having him watch hers had become routine.

"Any change?" Rick asked.

"The bleeding is under control," Ariel told him. "I think it might actually stop soon, the only thing I'm worried about is his pulse, it's pretty down, and he still hasn't opened his eyes."

"Here," he said to Glenn. "Take my cuffs, put them on him. I'm not taking any chances."

Glenn reluctantly took Rick's cuffs and handcuffed Hershel to the bed, perfectly in tune from when Rick left and Maggie arrived.

"What's going on?" Maggie asked.

"We had to." Glenn said.

Ariel looked at her. "It's just for precaution."

"Do you think maybe I could have a minute alone here?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah," Glenn nodded. "Do you want me to...

"No, just...by myself."

Ariel smiled, checking the wound and seeing with extraordinary relief that it had stopped. Maggie could not have picked a better time. Regardless, Ariel made a bundle of blankets against his leg before she left the cell with Glenn.

They were all in the cell, Ariel's mind whirling around with too many thoughts and ideas, staring off into space even though she was looking in Hershel's general direction. He was still unconscious, but the bleeding _had_ stopped at least, which was a success. It gave her hope, because if he could survive this, then that was the sign they needed that this place was the right place for them, it could be a home.

Carl came into the cell with a bag.

"I thought you were organizing the food." Glenn looked at him.

He smiled. "Even better, check it out!" he dropped the bag next to Ariel who opened it and gasped like a child on Christmas morning. The bag was full to the rim of medical supplies.

"Nice Carl!" Ariel slapped his arm, maybe a little too hard but she was too excited to care. "Maggie, come here..." Maggie went over to her immediately, helping her put bandages on Hershel's wound. Lori grabbed Carl and went outside with him, Beth following, and they all began to argue, but Ariel was, quite honestly, too much in a good mood to care. This would save Hershel, this would save him and Beth and Maggie would not lose a father.

"These bandages will help prevent infection." Ariel said happily as she finished them off.

"That's good." Glenn said. "It's good that he taught you all this stuff."

"I was a nurse Glenn, I know how to do this stuff." she rolled her eyes.

"Oh." he muttered sheepishly.

"But," she continued. "He did teach me some things, but not everything..." she grinned as he wore a confused expression. "I need your help with something." she stood up, approving her bandage.

"Now?"

"Yeah, now."

"What is it?"

"Not here."

"I can't leave Hershel."

"Look, its important." she said, as Lori walked back in.

"Go on," Lori said. "We got it."

"No way."

"We'll be fine." Beth assured him.

"We won't be gone long." Ariel told him.

"Rick said for me..."

"We're fine." Maggie said too.

So Glenn, overpowered by the women, gave in.

* * *

Glenn had left her alone in the prison yard with the female walker body, and she was glad for it. She stared down at the body of the walker, breathing in and out as she prepared herself to practice a c-section. She took her knife and began the procedure, making an incision across the belly, about two centimeters above the pre-pregnancy upper border of the bladder. She then proceeded to cut through the tissues that lie above the uterus, once they were separated, she made a horizontal incision in the lower section of the uterus. She smiled at all her small cuts in approval, sitting back when she was done and grabbing her knife.

"Good job." said a voice.

Ariel looked to her left and smiled as Daryl was walking up to her, swinging his arms. "Thought I could use some practice."

"Think you got it down?" he kneeled beside her.

"Yeah, I think I do." she touched his dirty face. "What happened to you today?"

And just like that, he exhaled his words. He expelled them from his body like he had a weight on his shoulders all day, and telling her was sharing that weight. He told her about Hershel getting bit, the prisoners, and the killings, how Rick almost got killed, how they had made a deal with the prisoners for food. On and on he went, until he reached the very point that they were at now.

"Then I found you." he finished.

"Well I'm glad you're all okay."

"How's Hershel?"

"He'll survive himself." she smiled. "I missed you today."

"I missed havin' you with me." he admitted. "Think from now one you gotta come along with me, have my back. After all, if I'm backin' Rick someone's gotta back me up."

She snorted. "Right, like you need someone to back you up."

"Maybe not," he admitted. "But I think I might like havin' you there anyway."

"I know you like it, and maybe now since we have an actual home, we can find some alone time."

"That all you think about?" he pushed her gently.

"Well it's better than thinkin' about things that make me depressed as shit, wouldn't you agree?"

"Why, that has you down?"

"Nothing." she said quickly.

"You're a shitty liar." he kissed her hand. "Tell me what's wrong?"

"I'm just scared." she pointed to the walker. "You know, doing this on a dead girl is one thing, but with Lori...what if I choke? She'll be screaming and yelling and I can't just cut her open."

"You ain't gonna have a choice."

"I know that hot stuff, I'm just telling you my fears." she sighed. "Do you think I can do this?"

"'Think you can do a lot of things, this is just one of them." he kissed her cheek. "I don't got faith in a lot of things, maybe, but I got faith in you."

"Do you know how much I love you?" she gently pressed her lips against his.

"I got a pretty good idea, yeah." he laughed against her kisses.

She grabbed his hand and they both got up. "You guys didn't happen to clear out the shower room did you?"

"Maybe..." he shrugged. "But if you want, you and I can go together."

Ariel smiled, she was itching to be a part of him again. They walked along through the yard, Daryl slipping his hand into hers. "I'm fucking burnt." he sighed. "Not in a good way neither."

Ariel thought about saying to him _I know a way to make you get some relief if that's what you're looking for_, but she was so tired that she didn't even have the energy to make a dirty joke. She was so tired, mentally, yesterday they had been exhausted physically, but today, today had made them all so _tired_.

"You ready?" he asked her, his hand on the knob.

"No." she mumbled, taking out her knife.

"Alright, let's go." he turned it and raised his crossbow, taking back the way he knew. It didn't surprise her that they made it most of the way without coming across any walkers. Rick and the others were not people to let some walkers roam around where they were staying. They took down three walkers on their way to where Daryl was leading her, and when they got to the shower areas, she dropped her knife to the floor and laughed.

When she started laughing, she couldn't stop. Daryl stared at her like she was insane, but one side of his mouth was pulling up lightly.

"Oh my god, we can take showers." she grabbed his vest and pulled him forward aggressively, their lips locking together.

"Wait, wait," he breathed into her mouth. "Wait, um...I don't want to...you know..."

"Oh my _god,_" Ariel put her had on his shoulder. "Daryl, I swear to god, you're going to fucking kill me."

"I'm sorry." he whispered. "It's just..."

"You're tired?" she looked up at him.

"I need more time."

"Time for what? Daryl, you know that I love you, and you love me and sex is something two people who love each other do together."

"I know...it's just...I don't wanna disappoint you, I don't wanna be all in my head when we do that."

"So you want to do it when? When you're hyped on adrenaline."

"Kind of," he shrugged. "Yeah, when I don't have to think about it."

"So, you and I are going to be naked right now in the shower and we're not going to have sex?"

"We can do other stuff." he grinned, taking off his vest.

"You know, this is the first time we're going to see each other completely naked." she looked at him, watching if he would tense or run, because every time she tried to get him naked he usually did. But this time, he didn't, he stood in front of her, his hands on her pants, undoing the button and unzipping her. She got incredibly turned on watching him do that, undressing her so casually, as though he had done it a million times before. It was weird to her, that they were going to take a shower together and _not_ have sex, but she knew Daryl would never be forced into anything.

He kissed her legs as he slipped off her pants, then kissing above her panty line, slipping her shirt off. He was still clothed and it was driving her insane. She ripped off his shirt, grinning when the top button broke off, but he grabbed her hands.

"Relax. We're just gonna take a shower."

"Seriously? I'm undressing my boyfriend and you want me to relax?"

"Ariel,"

She unzipped his pants. "Fine, we'll slow down." she murmured. "Get in the shower."

"Givin' me orders now?" he grinned, undoing the button of his pants. They were both in their underwear now, staring at each other. "You ready?"

"Yeah." she felt her heart fluttering. "Yeah, okay, we can do this. We're grownups."

"I don't think grownups say they're grown ups."

"I'm ready, I'm pumped." she clapped her hands and jumped once.

"I don't think they say that either." he laughed. "Think you're more nervous than me."

"Well you know, we both have scars, and we've done stuff but never naked. It's our first time, and I just think that maybe−"

Daryl kissed her thoroughly, tongue and all, hands groping her roughly. "I'm going to take off your underwear and mine and then you and me are going to get in the shower, and I'm going to stick my tongue in your vagina."

"Daryl _Dixon_," Ariel blushed intensely as he undid her bra. His eyes took her in like a starved man, looking at her like she was the most beautiful thing that he had ever seen. He didn't touch her, not just yet. He slipped off her underwear and then she watched him pause for a moment before taking off his pants.

"I'm...I ain't so nice to look at." he mumbled.

"Hey," she grabbed his hand and put it on her thighs. He watched her as he felt the uneven bumps on her thighs. "This here, is where I cut myself as a child because I was bullied." she moved his hand to the other thigh. "These ones, is when I made myself vomit because I was overweight." she then moved his hand to her wetness like she had done the first time. She gasped lightly, "This here, this is yours."

Daryl nodded and took back his hand, taking off his pants. He almost turned away right away to walk into the shower, but she grabbed his hand and shook her head. "I want to look at you." she said. "Just, just give me a second."

She didn't see the scars.

Well, she did, but there were so many important things happening that she just didn't care.

She started with his face, that gorgeous face that belonged all to her. Hard jaw, the scruff on his chin, his messy hair and his blue eyes, the one that stared right into her soul...she loved his face so much. His thin lips were open lightly, because he was worried and waiting for her to say something, but she still wasn't ready for that. She moved down his neck, over his collar bones, that she loved. It was a weird thing for her, his collarbones being a turn on for her, but she couldn't help it. His hard, broad shoulders, his slim and toned chest, he had no abs, but was somehow all muscle. His hips went in a distinct v line that went down to his manhood, which was of a decent length and thickness, because let's be honest she didn't care too much how long it was, so long as it filled her properly. His legs were just as hard as the rest of him; in a matter of speaking, and he was so _tan_.

"You're so beautiful." she breathed.

He had been watching her too, and she hadn't noticed. "So are you." he walked forward to her and took her hand, leading her to the shower. He turned it on and felt the water waiting for it to get a little warm before he stepped in. She watched the water go over him, he pushed back his hair to slick it away from his face. She walked in after him, grinning from the heat of the water.

"This is amazing." she washed the dirt off her arms. "We should make a run into town for some shampoo and stuff."

"Yeah, tomorrow." he was behind her, kissing her shoulder, his hands wrapping around her stomach. He turned her around pushed her up against the wall. "Tomorrow we can go for a run."

He kissed his way down between her breasts, his tongue gliding along as he did. She shivered despite the heat and allowed him to do what he did best, tease her. When he got to her womanhood he kissed her gently, and she gasped, hitching one leg over his shoulder. Her other one stood shakily on the ground, her hands slipping into his hair and she pushed his face into her. His tongue went in her and she gasped as it went in, out and then up to her clitoris. She couldn't breathe, not with the steam, or with him. Her chest was rising unevenly, and his hands were gripping her ass as he ate her out. It was the most wonderful thing she had felt in a very long time.

"Oh my _god_." she laughed again, pulling on his hair, leaning forward lightly, she was trying to make him go in as deep as possible.

He was amazing, but she needed all of him.

"Daryl..." she begged. He got up and kissed her, his tongue mixing with hers and she tasted herself on his lips.

He stuck two fingers in her and played with her until she came, and this time when she screamed his name, no one had to cover her mouth.

"Oh my god," she breathed out, "I love you, I love you, I love you..."

He grinned and kissed her lips. "How about a thank you?" he grinned.

Ariel kissed him deeply before getting on her knees.


	17. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16-**

Daryl was feeling pretty good about himself that morning. It had been a while that he had a reason to be in a good mood, but today he couldn't find a reason _not_ to get pissed off. The sun was bright and shining, they had all slept soundly and well, and his abnormally hot girlfriend had woke him up with a blowjob.

Yeah, today was a good day.

Today was filled with little chores, starting with moving the cars inside the yard. Ariel had been inside one of them and drove it. She got out, looking exceptionally sexual today, or at least, to Daryl she was. He had to admit, he kind of liked not having sex with her. All this waiting made it better, and as each day wore itself down he was slowly getting more and more comfortable. They had seen each other naked now, completely from the shower, so Daryl just had to work in the courage to actually stick it in.

Ariel was wearing shorts and a tank top, nothing too flashy. But as she stepped out from the car she tied her shirt in the back exposing her stomach, tied her hair up to expose her neck and the rest of her annoyingly gorgeous face.

He needed an award, not sleeping with her.

"Alright, let's get the other cars in." Rick said. "We'll park 'em in the west entry of the yard."

Daryl nodded. "Good, our vehicles camped out there look like a "vacancy" sign!"

"After that, we need to load up these corpses so we can burn them."

"It's gonna be a long day." T-Dog sighed.

Ariel looked around. "Why don't you shout out for Glenn and Maggie, who have been humping like a bunch of rabbits since we came outside." she jabbed her thumb in back of her to the guard tower.

T-Dog grinned at her. "Jealous?"

"Shut up!" Ariel exclaimed, punching him on the arm.

"They're there _again_?" Rick asked. "They were just up there last night!"

Ariel grinned. "Well they aren't forty years old Rick, they're young chickens."

"Hey, I'm not forty." he pointed at her.

Daryl rolled his eyes and looked to the guard tower. "Glenn! Maggie!" he yelled.

Glenn came out of the tower with no shirt on, buttoning his pants. "Hey, what's up guys?" he asked as the others laughed at him.

"You comin'?" Daryl asked playfully.

"What?"

Daryl laughed again. "You comin'? Come on, we could use a hand!"

"Yeah, we'll be right down!"

Ariel grinned going over to Daryl to take his hand as they began to walk towards the car. "Nice play on words there."

He kissed the side of her forehead. "I do what I can."

"You know, maybe you and I can steal that tower soon."

"Dunno, think we might have to find our own place, from the looks of it, they have that one under control. Besides, don't know if I like the idea of doin' it someplace they already were."

"You don't want your naked butt interacting with the floor where another naked butt was?"

"Stop saying naked butt."

"Why?"

"Just say butt like normal people, why you gotta say naked?" but he was grinning when he spoke, teasing her. Today there would be no arguments, they would be okay. The sun was shining too bright to have a bad day. Daryl was so optimistic, he barely recognized his own thoughts. It was like they had crawled out of someone else's head and into his, booting out everything else.

"Hey, Rick!" T-Dog said.

Rick stopped smiling immediately when he saw Axel and Oscar coming out of their cell block, walking towards them. Rick made forward to the others, looking back at all of them, "Come with me." well that was all they needed to hear, as if Daryl and Ariel wouldn't have followed him anyway. Daryl was like Ariel now, ever since the end of the farm, whatever Rick thought was the best move, Daryl went along with it. Rick was not just a friend, he was family now, in a different way than T-Dog or Hershel was. Sure, Daryl cared about them all immensely, they were all a family, each and every one of them, but Daryl and Rick...Daryl found himself wondering about the life he would have had if Rick had been his brother instead of Merle.

"That's close enough." Rick said to them. "We had an agreement."

"Please mister," Axel said. "We know that, we made a deal." he watched as Glenn and Maggie arrived. "But you gotta understand! We can't live in that place another minute, you follow me? All the bodies, people we knew! Blood, brains everywhere. There's ghosts!"

"Why don't you move the bodies out?" Daryl muttered.

Ariel had a kinder voice, and when she spoke the prisoners looked down to their hands, and Daryl only held it tighter to prove a point. "You should burn them." she said.

"We tried ma'am," Axel said. "We did." his eyes were roaming, over her low cut shirt and her stomach.

"Hey," Daryl snapped. "Why don't you keep your eyes with me."

"I'm sorry sir." Axel said, ashamed.

Oscar rolled his eyes. "The fence is down on the far side of the prison. Every time we drag a body out, those things just line up. We just run back inside."

"Look, we had nothing to do with Thomas and Andrew, nothing! You trying to prove a point? You prove it, bro! We'll do whatever it takes to be a part of your group, just, please, please, don't make us live in that place!"

Rick shook his head. "Our deal is not negotiable. You either live in your cell block, or you leave."

"I told you this was a waste of time." Oscar told Axel. "They ain't no different than the pricks who shot up our boys. You know how many friends' corpses we had to drag out this week? Just threw 'e out like...those were good guys! Good guys who had our backs against the really bad dudes in the joint like Thomas and Andrew. Now, we've all made mistakes to get in here, chief, and I'm not gonna pretend to be a saint, but believe me...we paid our due. Enough that we would rather hit that road, than to go back into that shithole."

Rick looked back to Daryl, and he shook his head slowly. That's the last thing he needed right now, living with someone next door to him who looked at Ariel the way they did...guys probably haven't seen women in years. No, no, he didn't want them here.

"Be back." he murmured to her, leading the two prisoners outside of the prison where he locked them out. They wanted to try the road? Good luck to them. As he walked back to Rick and the others, he heard Rrick in the middle of his sentence.

"...living in a cell next to you? They'll just be waiting for a chance to grab our weapons, you want to go back to sleeping with one eye open?"

"I never stopped. Bring them into the fold. If we send them off packing, we might as well execute them ourselves."

"I don't know," Glenn murmured. "Axel seems a little unstable."

Daryl agreed immediately. "See the way he looked at Ariel? Nah, I don't want him near us."

"This isn't about me." she said.

"Hell it isn't, all comes back to the bigger picture don't it? These guys haven't seen the light of day, weapons, or even women for God knows how long. All I need is to worry about you gettin' raped, ain't it enough that I need to worry about you gettin' killed?"

"You're being a little over dramatic."

Rick shook his head. "No, he's not. I'm with him on this, we have women and children with us. They're convicts, bottom line."

Maggie nodded. "We fought so hard for all of this, what if they decide it's theirs for the taking?"

Rick looked at Ariel, and Daryl saw that he was worried. "You're with T-Dog on this?" the way he was looking at her, it was as if her disagreeing with him would be the worst thing this world could do to him. Daryl understood why, after everything Rick was going through with Lori, it was probably nice for him to have a woman around that he wasn't fighting with. The difference between Ariel and Rick though was, and the one thing that the winter hadn't changed, was the fact that Ariel had a soft spot for poor lost souls in this big world.

Except these two prisoners weren't lost at all.

"No," she said, touching his arm, but Daryl knew she was lying a little and Rick probably knew it too. "No, if you think this is the right call, I'm with you one hundred percent."

Daryl nodded. "Let 'em take their chances out on the road, just like we did."

* * *

"Hey," Daryl opened the door for Ariel and Rick who were bringing wood inside on the prison grounds. "You okay? Told you I could do it."

"No, I'm fine." she smiled.

"She's stubborn," Rick dropped the wood. "Already told her to switch with you, but she won't have it."

"I'm a woman, not a child I can pick up some wood."

Rick grinned. "Oh I don't doubt that." he pushed her playfully, and it took Daryl a moment to understand what kind of wood Rick was talking about.

"You're disgusting." she said to him.

Daryl didn't say anything, he liked when Rick and Ariel were like this, playing with each other in this way. Months ago, it would have burned him, but now he understood that Ariel and Rick were brother and sister. They teased and loved each other like siblings.

Daryl grinned, seeing Hershel walking a ways away right outside the prison block. "Looky here."

Ariel smiled and clapped her hands. "Alright Hershel!"

"Shh, keep your cheers down." he showed her the walkers behind the fence.

"Can't we just have one good day?" she sighed.

"Hey, today will be a good day."

They watched from their distance as Maggie laughed, everyone around Hershel smiling. It filled Daryl with so much hope, seeing him survive the bite and the removal of his leg the way he did. Even Rick and Lori were looking at each other, exchanging a smile.

Then it all went to shit, as easily as ever.

"Walkers!" Caryl shouted, and Daryl saw them less than a second later. "Look out!"

"NO!" Rick yelled, watching as Lori shot a walker.

Ariel quickly shut the fence before running to the courtyard with Rick and Daryl, outrunning them of course, which made Daryl nervous for a number of reasons, the primary one being that if she was ahead of him she was too far for him to properly protect. She didn't exactly need it, but he worried about it anyway.

"Get out!" Rick was yelling. "Get out of there! No! Lori!"

Shots were being fired all around by every one of them, Beth and Hershel were together, trying to make their way across, Glenn with them, separated from Maggie. Daryl looked behind, having not noticed that Ariel had lagged behind, closing everything and still beating them to the entrance of the courtyard, unlocking the gate and allowing Daryl and Rick to run through before she closed it.

They ran to the prisoners cell block, Rick yelling at them to get out of the way, they needed to use the gate to lead them to the yard. Ariel managed to get the gate open and ran towards the courtyard with Rick and him. The prisoners were following them, but the three of them didn't seem to care, not right now, they had much bigger problems to deal with.

They arrived in the courtyard, pulling open the gate to kill the remaining walkers. Hershel and Beth and Glenn were behind the other closed gate, Glenn shooting them from inside.

"What the hell happened?" Rick yelled.

"The gate was open!" she cried.

"Where's Lori, Carl, everyone else?"

Hershel pointed. "Maggie led Lori and Carl into C block!"

Beth was looking worried. "And T was bit!"

"Anyone else?"

"I couldn't tell."

"Stay put!"

Ariel cut a walker's head off while Daryl and Rick shot at some. As they ran forward to each other Ariel was coming to an understanding. "These chains were cut by an axe or something."

Rick looked at the two prisoners, contemplating. Suddenly, the alarm of the prsion went off, attracting even more walkers.

"Jesus Christ!" she yelled. "What the hell is that?"

"Oh, you gotta be kiddin' me!" Daryl yelled. How could any of this had happened, they were supposed to have a good day today, just one, god damn good day. Daryl and Ariel took out their guns and started shooting at the speakers while Rick sprinted towards the prisoners, yelling at them.

Ariel was panicking, so Daryl moved closer to her. "You got this."

"Lori," was all she said. "I should have stayed with Lori."

Daryl didn't know what to say.

Daryl, Rick, Ariel and Oscar were running in the corridors, finally arriving at the door of the generators, escaping the walkers. Once they entered, Daryl had the door before Rick could say anything. He and Ariel tried to keep the door closed while Oscar and Rick observed the generators. There was so much noise, so much growling, that Daryl and Ariel couldn't hear the shuffles of the fight that soon erupted behind them. They were forced to let the door open, the walkers pushing against it too hard, but they each killed one and then shut the door again.

When a shot ran out in the place, Ariel left Daryl despite his protests, his heart beating loud.

But when the alarm stopped, Daryl knew Rick was safe.

* * *

None of them said anything when they came out of the corridors back onto the prison's courtyard. They had just put down two walkers that were eating what was left of T-Dog, and the three of them were incredibly silent.

"Hershel!" Rick yelled.

"You didn't find 'em?" he called out.

Ariel shook her head worriedly. "We thought they made their way back here."

"What about T?"

"He didn't make it." Daryl said.

"That doesn't mean the others didn't!" Rick exclaimed. "We're going back! Ariel, Daryl, you come with me..."

But that's when they heard it. The softest of sounds from the distance, but the loudest thing that broke them all.

A baby crying.

"Oh my God," Ariel took hold of Daryl, falling against him, tears running down her face. Because she was looking at the scene before Rick turned around, and the feeling of uneasiness that was in her heart settled in Daryl's. T-Dog was not the only person they had lost today. Rick turned around slowly, his face in a state of devastation, because he was looking at his baby but he knew something was wrong, something that, for a moment he looked like he was going to deny.

He dropped his weapons and moved towards Maggie, Carl and his newborn baby. "Where is...where is she?" he said.

Ariel undid her hand from Daryl, she was crying, a lot, but holding in her whimpers. She was looking at Rick and slowly making her way for him. Daryl let her.

He tried to go back in the prison, but Maggie stopped him. "No, Rick, dont!" she cried, Glenn coming up to her and holding her and the baby against him.

When Rick broke, Daryl felt his heart shatter with him.

"Oh no...No! No!" he fell to the floor, the most broken man that Daryl had ever seen, crying and screaming into the air.

Ariel walked forward to him, kneeling by him. Daryl understood now.

When Sophia had died, Daryl held her. When Dale died, Rick had held her. But now, it wasn't Ariel scratching her arms or crying so hard that she couldn't breathe. Now it was Rick, and Ariel had to hold him. So she did that, she got on her knees and took his hand, bringing it to her mouth, whispering and kissing it, over and over again as Rick covered his face with the other, yelling out Lori's name, over and over again.

* * *

**hey peeps, I know I've been off my game lately, and I apologize. I have just been tired and not too inspired but I am working at it. Next chapter is ONLY daryl and ariel though, so be excited because i have a beautiful thing planned for them.**


	18. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17-**

Ariel had never been as quite as turned on by Daryl as she was in this moment. They were walking across the prison yard up to one of the guard towers, holding hands. They hadn't spoken much today, for which she had been glad, because Ariel was trying to collect herself all day long.

She had been torn all day. Daryl had gone on his run for the milk formula and had asked her to go, and for a moment she almost refused. She was so worried about Rick, doing God knows what in the prison, but what use would she be to him in there, running after him in the dark? So instead, she went with Daryl on his run, it had been easy, thank God, and they had returned quickly enough. He had seemed worried about her and her lack of conversation but seemed to figure that they were all in mourning, so why would she really want to talk anyway? That bit was true, mostly because Ariel felt completely guilty about Lori's death.

Then they had returned to the prison and Daryl had taken the baby from Beth, cradling her and feeding her. In that particular moment she had never felt so attracted to him, but more even, so freaking, disgustingly in love with him. He had just stood there, using a voice she had never heard, with a smile she had never seen and a glint in his eyes that spoke to her soul. Like that baby had some kind of magical power on him, like he had saved certain smiles and words just for that baby. The man was a natural father, and that made Ariel incredibly turned on.

It also made her a little sad, but she decided to focus on the turned on part.

The sun was still up, which she was glad for, she wasn't done with her day; she wasn't done looking at Daryl Dixon. They made their way up the guard tower and with every step they took, Ariel felt her anxiety reaching a high point. When they finally got to the top she pushed the door open and started walking in a line, running her hands through her hair. Daryl was looking at her with his arms crossed, his hands tucked beneath his armpits in that way of his, watching her anxiety take a hold of her.

"It's my fault Lori's dead." she began, and Daryl did not interrupt, he let her words come out in a rush. "Which means it's my fault Rick is in there, risking his life doing God knows what. Now their daughter has to grow up without a mother. And T-Dog, T-Dog is dead, and you and I..." she breathed, putting her hands in her face for a moment. She breathed in heavily and then exhaled slowly, looking at him. "You are a father; I saw it in you when you were holding that baby. You have the potential to be a dad, a really good one, and I can't even give you..."

"Alright," Daryl said, keeping his distance. "I'm gonna stop you now, and you're gonna listen to me, understand?"

"Yes." she whispered.

"Ain't your fault that Lori died, no, _don't_ interrupt me. You had your turn so now it's mine." but he gave her a reassuring smile. "T-Dog is dead and it sucks, Lori is dead and it sucks, but it ain't your fault. Ain't anyones, not even Maggie. We're a bunch of assholes knee deep in an unsatisfactory situation, wasn't a thing anyone could have done for Lori, not under the circumstances. It ain't your fault."

"I could have been there for her, I should have, like Rick wanted." she shook her head.

"Wouldn't have changed a damn thing, she still would have died, the situation would have been the same."

"You don't know that."

"I do, and Lori knew it too. She knew she was gonna die by this kid, said it to Hershel enough times." he stared at her. "As for Rick , there ain't a thing any of us could do for him right now. When he comes round, and he will, he'll be okay. He has Carl and a kid now. And the kid won't grow up without a mom. There's you and Maggie and Beth. Pretty good if you ask me."

Ariel was smiling now. "She has some good uncles too."

Daryl grinned. "As for you and me, well, I ain't gonna lie to you, it does fuckin' blow that we can't ever have that. But, s'far as I'm concerned I'd rather have you here with me alive than trade you for a kid." he shrugged. "That's the best I have."

She sighed. "I just keep thinking that maybe if I had been there I could have helped. I'm a nurse, I could have done something."

"Maybe," he said softly, "but we were being taken down, there was no way you could have done anything more than Maggie did. You being there, tryin' to save her, would have only made all this guilt all the worse."

"So what do I do then?" she held out her arms, waiting for an answer.

Daryl walked forward and hugged her, his arms wrapping all the way around, and hers around his. She buried her face in his chest. "We do what we always do, survive."

* * *

Daryl wasn't too sure when he became a man of many words, but he supposed that of all the moments, now was probably the moment that he chose well. He liked being there for Ariel in a way that meant more than him just shooting walkers before they got her. Holding her now, the way he was, this was what drove him.

He was sad too about what had happened to them, and hell knew that he was worried like crazy about Rick, but Daryl also knew that things happened, he lost his brother, Sophia and Andrea were gone, and now Lori and T-Dog. Rick lost his wife, and he would need time to cope with that, and Rick would come back to them because that's what he always did.

"I love you." Ariel whispered to him.

"Love you too." he kissed the top of her head. He meant it more every time he said it, from that day on the highway to now, he felt like his love was only increasing every day. Was that possible? To be in love with someone more every day, to get annoyed from them from time to time and then finding yourself, at the end of your arguments, thinking, holy shit, I am so stupidly in love with this person.

That was Daryl Dixon.

But there was nothing left to say, not anymore. He had kept waiting for something, all the time since they had met. To find Merle, to find Sophia, to be less broken, to show their scars...what the hell were they waiting for now?

So he kissed her, and he kissed her long, hard and thoroughly, making sure that he tasted every inch of her mouth, that his tongue memorized hers. His hand slid up into her hair, pressing his mouth against hers in a way that made him feel like he was dying and she was oxygen. He wondered for a moment about her past, and her fiancé, and if he kissed her properly, not like a man who was starving. Or maybe this was how women wanted to be kissed, like they would make some poor guy like Daryl feel like he was alive again.

She broke away for a moment. "If you're going to kiss me like this," she breathed, her forehead against his. "Then you're going to have to kiss me everywhere like that."

"I have somethin' else in mind." he said.

Ariel smiled and kissed him again, jumping up to wrap her legs around Daryl. He caught her, and gently lay her down against the floor, his hand on the back of her head. Part of him doesn't want to get naked, and it's not because of his scars. It's because his hard on is pressing against her because she is moving her hips against his jeans. It's because he's waited so long and put it off for so long that he wants to unzip his fly push down her pants and just take her like an animal.

But they are sad and he owes her this and he'll stick his foot up his own ass if he doesn't give this woman what she deserves of him.

The kissing is foreplay enough. They don't touch each other like they normally do, she does not grab him and he does not caress her with his fingers, there are only their tongues mixing and their heavy breathing as they take off their clothes, piece by piece. Daryl folded his vest and put it under her head, and she smiled, bringing his head back to her and whispering, kissing him all over his face.

"I cannot ever lose you." Ariel looked at him, assuring him with her expression that this is what she wanted, what she needed. And God, Daryl needed it too.

He removed the rest of their clothes, but before he did anything, he kissed her softly. "I ain't...I ain't too good..." because honestly, he had never been told that he was. Hookers didn't get paid for that type of thing.

"I love you," she said. "Don't worry about the rest."

So he kissed her again, pushing into her, and he let out a long moan before she did. She arched up, Daryl's head right over her breasts; he had to remove their mouths from each other, he had to find a way to breathe. God damn, he did not remember it feeling this good, being with someone like this. The warmth spread from his manhood all over his body, and for a moment, he cannot move, he cannot do a thing. He can only enjoy the feeling of being buried in her, like this was where he was supposed to be his whole life.

"Daryl," she begged. He looked at her and grinned at her rosy cheeks and fluttering eyelids. "Move," she pleaded.

It took a lot in Daryl not to do what he wanted to her, not to bite her, not to hold on to her and crush her to his body. This had to be good for her, the rest of it would come later, and maybe the next time they would do it he could take her like he wanted. He would have to ask though, because Daryl liked things rougher than most, and not all women enjoyed that.

But for now, he just had to focus on this, on trying to keep himself from exploding right then, and just moving in and out of her at a decent speed, not too slow but not in the fast way that he liked.

Ariel was breathing hard, her hands roaming his chest as he hovered above her. She was moving with him, the two of them a little out of sync in the beginning, because they were not used to each other like this, but soon they got their rhythm and they were able to move with the other.

She kissed him again, her hands in his hair. Daryl was losing himself, he felt his stomach heat up. "I ain't gonna last much longer." he told her apologetically. He felt ashamed.

"Wait," she pleaded. "I'm almost there."

So he grit his teeth and slowed down a bit for himself, taking his hand and rubbing her so that maybe she could achieve what she wanted and quite frankly, what he hoped she could achieve, and then he could finish. He had to slow down quite a bit, because he would not make it, but god when she came, it was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard. It drove him wild, and only made it that much harder not to ram into her the way he desired. So as she collapsed in him, he held her close and buried his face in her neck, picking up his speed and allowing his release to come over him. In his arms she shuddered again, and he moaned loudly, like a teenage boy who didn't know a thing. But he didn't care, he didn't care about a thing right now. All he could think about was that he was inside her, and god if there was anything better than this, he sure as hell did not know what it was.

"Daryl..." she breathed.

"Yeah?" he kissed her neck.

"You're suffocating me."

He chuckled and pulled himself off of her but cuddled up with her on the side. He closed his eyes for a bit, and felt himself drift off into a sleep, a peaceful one, where he dreamt of nothing and for once it was okay. That was until he heard the sniffling, waking him, and opening his eyes to darkness, but hearing her crying.

"Ariel, what's wrong?" he asked worriedly.

"Nothing, it's so stupid, go back to bed."

"I can't go back to bed if you're cryin', hold up..." he got up, forgetting he was naked and going over to the guard tower to switch on the light, shedding some on them. He got back down on the floor and went under the array of clothes that Ariel had turned into a weird blanket. He looked at her frowning, wiping her tears away. "Talk to me."

"It's dumb."

"It ain't dumb." then he realized that they had only done one thing that could have made her cry. "Jesus Christ, was I that bad?"

"What? _No!"_ she kissed him hard. "No, no, no, you were amazing and lovely, and God, no, please, you are the best thing in the world." she said it in such a panicked tone, as if she thought he would get up and walk away from her right then and there.

"What is it then?"

"I'm just..." she sighed, a few more tears dropping out. "I am so selfish."

"Selfish, you? Nah, you're the least selfish person I know."

"No, that's Rick."

"Babe, you gotta stop comparin' yourself to Rick."

"It's just..." her words came out in a rush. "I am lying here looking at you, thinking that I am the luckiest person in the world to have you, that this moment, right now, it's the happiest I have ever been. And we just lost two people, and almost a baby and Rick is half insane and all I can think about is that I have never loved you more."

Daryl looked at her sadly, hugging her tight against him. "Ariel, it's okay to want to be happy." he kissed the top of her head. "Don't you think you deserve that?"

"We all do." she muttered.

He nodded and looked at her. "You gotta stop blamin' yourself for everything that goes wrong in this group. Bad things happen, they are gonna keep happenin' too, just gotta stick with the blows and be happy with what you got. Think Rick would want you stoppin' everythin' cause of him? We saved the kid."

"It's just..." she kissed his collarbone. "I love you so much, and if it had been one of us..."

"I know," he sighed. "I know. But it wasn't and you and me are fine. And Rick is gonna be fine too."

She nodded. "I'm sorry for waking you up."

"S'alright, rather talk with you anyway." he kissed her nose. "But, I was havin' a pretty good dream." he felt so light headed that he wanted to tell her everything and anything. Daryl was a braver man with his feelings in the dark, but then again, he thought, most people probably were.

"What were you dreaming about?"

"You and me, and what we could have had." he said quietly. "If you know...this wasn't life."

She was quiet for a moment but then asked. "What was our life like?"

"We lived in a place kind of like Hershel's farm, four kids, three girls who were freakin' terrors, and the youngest a boy, a good kid, quiet and calm."

"Oh God, so basically one you and three me's."

"Basically." he laughed and she kissed him so she could swallow it. "I wish things were different." he admitted.

"Yeah," she sighed sadly. "So do I."

For a while, there was quiet, and he was okay with that. She needed to finish with her soft crying and he needed to recollect his thoughts. Sure, he wanted a life with her that wasn't consisting of running for their lives. And Daryl didn't really believe that the apocalypse was the only way they would have met. If fate really was at play here, Daryl and Ariel would have ended up together regardless of the way the world was. That's what happened with soul mates, they always find their way back to each other. Rick and Lori found their way back; it just ended too soon for them.

"Can I ask you somethin'?"

"Sure."

"Was it...you know..."

"Good?" she chuckled. "Yes hot stuff, you were good. I mean, it wasn't like we were both spectacular, we both were nervous and aren't used to each other."

"Practice makes perfect." he said happily.

"Yeah well, I gotta say, I was a little surprised you were that gentle."

"Don't worry; I'm savin' the rest for next time."


	19. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18-**

Ariel had her knife out but from what she had seen on the way over to the room where she suspected Rick was, she did not think she would have to use it. She was no tracker, but it was easy to find him once she noticed the trail of walker bodies lying on the ground. Her heart was racing not for fear of the walkers, but fear for Rick. Her stolen moment with Daryl in the guard tower had been more than satisfactory, sure, but reality came up on them not too long after, and people were starting to worry.

So naturally, Ariel had offered, and she and Daryl had gotten into an argument about it.

_"You fuckin' out of your mind? You gonna go on your own to where he's at?"_

_ "Daryl, we need him here. I get he's mourning, I do, but he needs help. He's not going to make it on his own, not now. He needs people, he needs me."_

_ "What about me?" he growled. _

_ "Oh don't give me the guilt trip, I'm not an idiot."_

_ "Hey," he grabbed her shoulder. "I need you too. Maybe not to cry on your shoulder, but I still need you."_

_ "This isn't about you and me." she hissed. "This is about Rick. I can't sit here; feeding his crying baby while he is off doing God knows what."_

_ "Then why can't I come with you?" he challenged._

_ "Because he lost the love of his life Daryl and I do not think he needs to see both of us together..."_

_ "He'll have to face that eventually."_

_ "Eventually." she agreed. "Not right now in this moment."_

Then he had kissed her, hard and long, a little too hard as if to try and prove a point. Ariel preferred when he was rough so really, she won that battle.

But to the boiler room she had made her way, and when she got there, she heard Rick talking. She didn't reveal herself right away, she stayed behind the wall and took a peek, where Rick was talking into a phone that, Ariel suspected either didn't work at all or had no one on the other end. But her poor Rick was bloody, torn, inside and out, a broken shell of a man. His words were shaking, every single one of them. Ariel turned and looked down at her feet, listening to him.

"I have a son. I-I have a newborn baby. I'm with a good group of people. Would you be willing-could you take in others? We can pull our weight. We can help you."

Obviously no one answered, but Ariel crossed her arms and closed her eyes, hearing him begin to lose himself more and more. It was the most heartbreaking thing in the world for her, seeing him like this. When he had found out about Lori...Ariel still heard his screams in her head.

"Well put them on, let me make a case! Just, please, we're good people here. We just need some help and..." he paused, because Ariel came out from the shadows. Rick looked at her and Ariel almost started crying right then and there, his eyes were so wide, his hair was matted from blood...but his expression, god his expression was tearing her up. It was taking so much of her not to cry.

"Rick," her hand was out, like she was approaching a wild animal.

"They won't listen," he cried.

"Let me talk to them." she said, softly. She put a hand on his back, and took the phone away, ignoring the fact that there was nothing on the other side. She ignored it and put it to her ear and looked at him the whole time. "We are good people," she said, nodding at him. He was holding her hand, too tightly. "But we're dying here." she whispered. When no one responded, she pretended to nod at something someone said and hung up the phone. "They said they'll call back." she put the phone down.

Rick shook his head, over and over again, pulling on the ends like he was ready to rip them from their roots.

"Rick," Ariel said softly. "Rick, please look at me."

When he did, he collapsed against her. Ariel almost fell back but she forced herself to stay upright, holding back her tears with all her might. She had to be strong now for them, because he was Rick and he was a leader, and she and Daryl were his seconds.

"I'm here, I'm here..." she murmured. "Come on Rick; let's go back, just for a bit."

"Carl..." he murmured. "Is Carl okay?" he looked up at her, touching her face like he wasn't sure that she existed.

"He's okay," she took his hand, holding it against her chest. "Come walk back with me Rick."

"But you said, they'll call." he looked at the phone, panic stricken.

"We have time, Ii promise." she touched his face, and he closed his eyes. "Walk back with me Rick."

"Yeah, yeah, I need to bring you back to Daryl..." he murmured, nodding. "Okay."

"No," she told him. "No, you need to see your son. You need to eat something. That's what we are doing now."

He nodded, but she wasn't sure anything stuck. So they made their way back in complete silence, holding hands, all the way back to their cell block. They were all eating when they came, the baby in Beth's arms.

"Everybody okay?" Rick asked.

Ariel opened the door for him, Daryl's eyes moving swiftly over the two of them, checking for injuries. He was sitting on the step, away from the group with his bowl, but did not move to get up. She wondered if he was still upset with her.

"Yeah, we are." Maggie nodded.

"What about you?" Hershel asked, looking down at their hands.

"I cleared out the boiler block."

"How many were there?" Daryl asked.

"I don't know, a dozen, two dozen. I have to get back. Just wanted to check on Carl." he pointed at me. "Bring her back too."

"Nah," Daryl said before Ariel could interrupt. "Bring her with you."

"No, you need her here." Rick shook his head, but his eyes were suggesting he was grateful for Daryl disagreeing with him.

"We're good," Daryl assured him. "Take her along in case somethin' happens. We're fine, runnin' low on ammo though, but Maggie and Glenn are gonna go on a run this afternoon. We got some work to do after, clear out the lower levels."

Rick looked back around at Ariel. "You should stay with them."

"My place is with you." she told him. "Has been from the start of all this. I'm one of your seconds, where you go, I go."

Rick looked back at Daryl who shrugged. "She'll help you Rick, I'm your other second..." he rolled his eyes at himself, realizing how stupid it sounded. "I can take care of the other stuff."

"Thank you." Rick said, walking out swiftly, Ariel tailing him.

* * *

When they went back to the boiler room, Ariel stared at that phone until something would happen. By something, she did mean nothing, but nothing to Rick _was_ something so...oh god, it was so confusing. They were sitting on the floor, Ariel's hands were in his, and the phone was in between them. It felt like a ritual, a ritual for listening to the dead. That had to be what he could hear, the dead right?

"They're gonna call." he said suddenly.

"I know." she told him. "Rick...do you recognize the voice on the phone?"

"No," he said immediately, but the look in his eyes suggested otherwise. "No, I don't know."

"Rick..." Ariel whispered. "I'm sorry about...I should have been there..."

"Don't," he snapped, but he squeezed her hands in a way that made her understand that he was not angry with her. "It was my fault, not yours."

"Rick, it was not your fault. You saved all of us. What happened is not on you." she paused before adding carefully. "She was sorry for all of it. And she loved you, more than anything in this world."

"My wife is dead," he said. "And it is my fault."

"Rick..."

But Rick must have heard the phone ring, because he picked it up in a hurry, letting go of one of her hands. "Hello?" he paused. "Yes...she said it was safe. Yes we want to come where you are..." he put his head down, his voice low. "Yes, people who threatened me or my group...four...two outsiders who tried to draw on me. One threw me to walkers, the other one; he was one of our own. He lost it..." he squeezed Ariel's hand so hard she thought it might break. "Who he was, he threatened me. He tried to kill me, so I killed him." then his hand went completely limp in hers, his eyes wide, listening to no one say anything. "How do you know I had a wife?" he whispered. "I don't want to talk about that." Then his crazy look came back and he lost himself. "Hello? Hello? NO!" he yelled. He threw the phone away in anger, putting his hands to his forehead.

"Rick," Ariel whispered, moving forward. "It's okay, it's okay." she said as he wept in her arms. He tried pushing her away but was so weak in his attempts that it felt like nothing to her. He was grasping for her arms when he was doing trying to fight her, grasping at her like a man who was dying.

"Rick, they'll call back." she said.

"What if they don't?" he whispered.

"They will." she promised him, stroking his hair. "They will, because they...they know you're good."

Rick pulled back and looked at her, shaking his head. "You don't know..."

"I do," she pressed. "Because Rick Grimes people can hear it in that voice of yours when you speak, the complete goodness in you." she wiped a tear that managed an escape from her. She put his face in her hands and kissed his forehead lightly. "I love you."

Rick whimpered and held on to her wrists. "You're my family." was his broken answer, because Rick could probably not say those words right now, but she understood that.

"They'll call back." she murmured.

And they did.

How long it was before Rick heard the phone ring again, Ariel couldn't tell. All she could do was think about how she felt like she was taking care of a child, holding a man in her arms, stroking his hair and kissing his head. Her mind wandered to Daryl every so often, and she was so grateful that he had taken the moment apart to understand that it was Rick who needed her now and not him. She was not worried about him, in the lower levels without her; Daryl knew he had to step up his normal badassery now that Rick was not there with him. She had trust in Daryl. But God she wished he was there with them, to have Rick share this with someone else who loved him too.

"Hello?" Rick said with urgency. "...no I just lost her but...but if that's what it takes...that sounds...how...how do you know my name?" he looked up at Ariel and took her hand, tears spilling over his eyes. Ariel was on her knees, Rick up against the wall, crying, her hand pressed against his mouth by his. She felt his breath as he whispered, "Lori...Lori? Lori? Lori?"

Ariel put her head down; she could not help crying now. She grabbed Rick's knee and put her forehead against it, because she could not do anything, because this poor, poor man was hearing the voice of his dead wife. She looked back up and watched him cry, and cried with him because there was nothing left of her.

"I loved you," he whispered. "I loved you. I couldn't put it back together. I couldn't put it back together. I thought it was...I made a deal with myself. I would keep you alive, I'd find a place, I would fix that. And then...I couldn't open that door. I couldn't risk it. I was gonna keep you alive. Carl, the baby. And then...I thought there'd be time. There's never time. But I loved you. I love you. I couldn't put it back together. I should have said it. I should...I should have said it."

A few more seconds passed of Rick listening to Lori on the phone. He closed it then and stared at Ariel, his eyes full with tears. But something had shifted now, now that he realised that no one was on that phone, that it was just the dead he could not bring back.

"Carl...my child...we...we got to go back..." he looked at her sincerely. "Thank you."

Ariel wiped her eyes and kissed Rick again. "Come on. The rest of our family is waiting."

* * *

But when they went back, Rick and Ariel parted ways. She walked him right up until the cell block to which she kissed him again, and then Rick hugged her tightly.

"Go see your baby girl." she said.

"Where are you going?"

"Well, if I know Daryl he's probably still roaming around." she said. "I'll go get him."

"Be careful, please." he said.

"Don't worry." she smiled, getting on her way.

She turned and walked away, smiling. Her cheeks were stained with her tears but she didn't mind too much. She kind of wanted Daryl to see her post crying, mostly because it would give him an even greater need to hold her in his strong arms. That's what she was looking forward to, being with him now after this incredibly long day. A piece of her wanted to see Rick finally hold his daughter but a bigger piece acknowledged the fact that now it was time to be with Daryl, not Rick.

Ariel wandered her way to Daryl who was a lot harder to track than Rick had been. But find him she did, she found him in a hall, sitting with his head up against it. When he noticed her he smiled lightly, and patted the ground next to him.

"Hey." he said.

"Hi." she breathed, getting down next to him. He noticed her tears and just as she suspected, put his arm around her, pulling her into him.

"You good?"

"Yeah..." she breathed. "Rick was...he thought he heard Lori on the phone..."

"Shit."

"Yeah."

"He still there?"

"No, he went back to the block, he's going to finally hold his child." she took his hand. "What a mess." she kissed his jaw line. "Why are you down here?"

"Needed a break." he mumbled, squeezing her knee. "Suppose we should be gettin' back soon though, especially that Rick is there now."

"No," she sighed, tangling their legs together. "Can we just...I'm so tired."

"I ain't sleepin' here."

"No," she laughed softly. "No I just mean, I need to stay here with you a while. I can't go back there, not now; I'll start crying all over again just seeing him hold her."

"That's all it takes? A guy holdin' a kid?"

"Well that's all it took for me to have sex with you."

Daryl rolled his eyes. "That was not the only factor."

Ariel laughed. "No it'd be happy tears, but I'm just too tired to keep crying today." she patted his stomach. "So hot stuff, coffee, cats and cigarettes. Those are the three things you miss, right?"

"Yeah..." he leaned his head against hers.

"How did you take your coffee?"

He paused. "Black."

"What kind of cat would you want us to have?"

"A black one."

Ariel frowned. "You really like the color black. Alright, what kind of cigarettes did you smoke?"

"Marlboro." he looked at her. "Is this a game or something?"

"What? No, I'm just making conversation." she lifted her head so they could stare at each other. "We could play a game though." she grinned stupidly. She was so glad she had made the decision of coming down to see him instead of going to the cell block. He was already making her feel better, and he probably didn't even realize that he was.

"What game?"

"Fuck, marry, kill."

"Oh Jesus fucking Christ are we twelve?"

"Age is but a number." she moved so she could cross her legs, but he stayed in his position, only tilting his head to the side to better look at her. "Alright, Maggie, Hershel and rick."

"I'd fuck and marry you, and wouldn't kill anyone else."

"Aw," Ariel kissed his lips. "That's very sweet but that's not the rules."

"Well this game is stupid and you only gave me the choice of one girl."

"That's what makes it fun!" she exclaimed, squishing his face. "Come on hot stuff, it's only you and me here."

"Fine..." he mumbled. He glared at her while he answered quickly, "Kill Hershel, fuck Maggie and marry Rick..."

Ariel laughed loudly, and he only continued to glare. "You'd marry Rick? Why not marry Maggie; at least you can have sex with someone good looking for the rest of your life!"

"Because if I marry Rick, he'd bother me less, he gets me."

"Thought about this, have you?" she teased, poking him.

"Shut up." he grabbed her finger. "Right then, fine, you wanna play dirty?"

"Oh, I always want to play dirty, hot stuff." she kissed him again.

"Stop distracting me." he mumbled against her lips. "Okay, Beth, Maggie or Hershel."

"Easy," she waved her hand. "Kill Hershel, fuck Beth, marry Maggie."

Daryl frowned, staring at her. "We probably shouldn't tell Hershel we both chose to kill him."

"Yeah, probably not."

* * *

**hey everyone, sorry it took me so long to update, I wasn't sure how I wanted to write this chapter, but I'm glad I made Ariel go with rick; I hope you are all glad too.**

**for those of you who enjoy my writing, in my bio there is a link to an ACTUAL novel I wrote, and honestly, I would just love, love, love it if I could get supporters to buy and spread the word. (my writing is way better in my novel that is a promise from my heart)**

**also, I love reviews so thank you to all of you and keep them coming. if you guys want to chat with me properly, you can find me at my twitter: mycoveriscas or my tumblr ageofangels**

**I welcome you all to come find me, I love talking with fellow fans of shows! **


	20. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19-**

Alone time was something that was working out very well for Ariel and Daryl this afternoon. They didn't know where the others were and at the moment neither one of them cared. They were busy, Daryl trying to take charge after Ariel had tortured teased him. She was up against the wall now, sweaty, watching Daryl unbuckle his belt and undo his zipper. His hands went to her shirt, ready to pull it over but she stopped him.

"No," she said. "Don't take off anything."

"Why? Hot as hell." he said, looking at the sweat over them.

"Exactly." she breathed, taking his face in her hands and kissing him thoroughly. As their tongues mixed beautifully, his hands stumbled over her pants, pulling them down without breaking the kiss, enough that if Ariel wiggled her hips they would drop down to her ankles. She laughed as they kissed, trying to kick off her pants. She then jumped up, Daryl grabbing her ass, kissing her neck and her mouth. He pushed her up against the wall, his hips crushed against hers sending her into a spiral of desire. Daryl took himself out of his pants and pushed into her. It was so sudden, rough, Ariel's eyes rolled to the back of her head. She moaned loudly and that only made Daryl want her more. He pounded into her like a man who was starving; his head was in the crook of her neck, breathing heavily.

"Christ..." he choked, his uneven but very satisfying thrusts were getting quicker. He didn't have much left in him but neither did she. She pulled back on his hair, because she wanted to look at him. His eyes were dark, full of lust and desire. He grinned softly at her, and then moaned loudly, releasing himself inside her. His back shook, and his body tightened. He pushed up into her as he exploded, his hand coming around her neck, pushing it to the side so he could bite down on her shoulder.

Ariel came too, a little later though, while Daryl put her on the floor. Turns out his tongue and finger worked just as well as his penis did.

* * *

"Rick." Daryl said, walking with Ariel outside of their cell block. Ariel was only a pace behind him, for which she had done on purpose. She wanted to get a nice look at his backside, even though he hadn't been naked. She had enjoyed that, them being clothed and taking a moment to fulfill their basic animal instinct with each other. She couldn't tell which she liked more, when he was rough with her, taking what he needed from her, or when he was careful and considerate, making sure that she got what she needed before he got what he wanted. Both were equally good, depending her mood.

But unfortunately now was not the time to think about good Daryl Dixon was in bed, even though he most definitely was. Now was about Rick and Rick was kneeling over a woman with dreadlocks, bloody and bruised, a samurai sword discarded to the side.

"Who the hell is this?" Daryl asked.

"Wanna tell us your name?" Rick asked gently. "Wanna tell us your name?"

When she didn't answer, Rick continued, picking up the samurai sword. "We'll keep this safe and sound. The doors are all locked. You'll be safe here. And we can treat that." he pointed to her wound.

"I didn't ask for your help."

"Doesn't matter, we can't let you leave." he looked over to Ariel. "Get Hershel for me, please."

Ariel nodded and went back inside the cell block to get Hershel. He grabbed his crutches as she gathered the supplies they needed to tend for the wound. As Hershel made his way out, Ariel followed behind him, dumping the bag the bag to the floor.

"We can tend to that wound for you, give you a little food and water, and then send you on your way." Rick told the woman. "But you're gonna have to tell us how you found us and why you were carrying formula."

"The supplies were dropped by a young Asian guy with a pretty girl."

"Christ," Ariel said, looking at Hershel.

"Were they attacked?" he asked, terrified.

"They were taken." she answered grimly.

"Taken, by whom?"

"By the same son of a bitch who shot me." she snapped.

"Hey, these are our people." Rick growled. "You tell us what happened now!" he grabbed her gunshot wound and the woman stood up, slapping his hand away.

"Don't you ever touch me again!" she yelled.

"You'd better start talking." Daryl said. "You're gonna have a much bigger problem than a gunshot wound."

"Find them yourself." she snapped.

"Daryl," Ariel scolded. "Put it down." she walked up to the woman and handed her a cloth as a sign of peace. The woman took it but didn't press it against her skin. "You came here for a reason." Ariel looked at her. "Those two people are our family; we need to know what happened. Please."

The woman surveyed her before deciding she was worthy of an answer. "There's a town. Woodbury. About 75 survivors, I think they were taken there. It's run by this guy who calls himself the Governor, pretty boy, charming, Jim Jones type."

"He got muscle?" Daryl asked.

"Paramilitary wannabes." she muttered. "They have armed sentries on every wall."

"Do you know a way in?" Rick asked.

"The place is secure from walkers, but we could slip our way through."

"How did you find us?"

"They mentioned a prison, said which direction it was in, that it was a straight shot."

Ariel smiled gratefully. "Thank you." she put her hand on Hershel's shoulder. "Hershel is that girl's father; he'll take care of your wound."

While Hershel stayed behind, Rick and Daryl and Ariel walked into the cell block, Carl keeping watch on Hershel.

When they walked back in, Rick filled in everyone on what had happened. Beth was on the stairs, looking halfway between annoyed and scared, feeding Judith.

"How do you know we can trust her?" Oscar asked when Rick finished his tale.

"This is Maggie and Glenn," Beth said. "Why are we even debating?"

"We ain't," Daryl said. "I'll go after them."

"Me too," Ariel nodded. She was surprised when Daryl didn't disagree with her.

"All right," Rick nodded. "Let's pack up then."

Daryl nodded and began to rummage through their things to make a travel bag for them. Ariel followed to help, murmuring to him in a low voice.

"We should back some tear gas,"

"Yeah," he nodded. "Flash bangs too, never know what you're gonna need." he bumped her with his shoulder. "You ready for this?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Different story, people. We've dealt with walkers, but fighting against people, that's somethin' different."

"We did it before."

"Not like this." he told her.

"It'll be okay." she told him. "We're strong, you me and Rick, we're a good team. And with just us focusing on protecting each other, it'll be better than a whole group."

"Sounds like you're tryin' to convince yourself, not me."

"Doesn't matter either way." she said, zipping up the bag and putting it over her shoulder. "We have work to do; we just got to do it now."

He stared at her. "We'll get them back."

"I know we will." she kissed him. "I love you, you know that?"

"Yeah, I know." he slapped her butt and they made their way to the car.

* * *

They stopped the car on the side of the road, Rick getting out of the driver's seat. The three of them got out following, looking at the woman who stared around the forest.

"They have patrols. We're better off on foot."

"How far?" Rick asked. "Night's coming."

"It's a mile, maybe two."

Rick nodded, waiting for Ariel and Daryl to get their stuff properly on them before they began their walk, the woman in front leading them.

As they walked through the forest, Ariel stood between Rick and Daryl. She had her knife in her right hand and Rick's hand was brushing her left. Every once and a while when a noise would sound, even a rustle of the leaves, he would touch her. She did not think that he was scared, not this man, but more of just to reassure himself that she was next to him. After what had happened in the boiler room, if anything, it had only brought them closer together.

"You know," Rick said, looking at the ground. "What you two did for me, for my baby, while I was...working things out...thank you."

"It's what we do." Daryl answered.

Ariel smiled lightly, gripping Rick's hand. She had been hoping for a little bit more of an extravagant moment between the two of them but this was all that they graced her with. She honestly wished that they would just lose it with each other, but in a good way, and hug one another. They hadn't not since she had known them, but for some weird reason she hoped for it. Ariel had a thing for a well developed bromance.

When a groan sounded, Daryl called it. They took a moment for themselves, getting in formation but not firing any guns. They made a few moves, Daryl releasing one arrow, Rick and Ariel putting their knives through heads, but there was too many of the walkers and not enough people.

"This way." Rick said, and they all followed. They ran towards a small cabin, Rick holding the door so everyone could get in.

"Jesus," Daryl said, putting his hand over his nose. "What's that smell?"

"What the hell is that?" Ariel breathed, her eyes becoming watery from the smell. There were some disgusting looking remains on the floor. "I think it's a fox." she said sadly.

"I guess Lassie went home." Daryl muttered.

"Shut up, that's not funny." she jumped, the walkers at the cabin growling and scraping at the door.

Rick got Daryl's attention and walked over to a lumpy bed. Daryl had his crossbow ready while Rick's hand extended slowly to the cover. When he undid it, a man jolted up with a gun ready.

"Who the hell are you?" he yelled.

"We don't mean any harm." Rick said in a voice barely above a whisper.

"Get outta my house!"

"Okay, okay, okay. We will but we can't right now."

"Now!"

"Shut him up!" Ariel hissed.

"Get out right now!"

"There are walkers outside!"

"I'll call the cops!"

"I am a cop. Now, I need you to lower the gun." Rick said, lowering his own. "Don't do anything rash. Everything's fine. Let's just...let's just take this nice and slow okay?" his hands were out.

The man however was not as calm as Rick Grimes. "Show me your badge!" He said, pointing the gun straight at Rick's face.

"Hey!" Ariel snapped, moving forward. "You better back the hell up."

The man pointed the gun at her instead, Daryl tensing. Ariel was not in the mood for this shit today. She moved the gun quickly; it fired off but thankfully didn't hit anyone. Ariel broke the man's hand quickly, twisting and shoving it in awkward ways, the gun dropping out of his hand. He screamed, the walkers outside getting antsy, and she punched him in the stomach. The man, on his knees whimpering bit down on her leg.

"Son of a bitch!" she yelled, kicking him away.

He got up and went ton his way, yelling and screaming like a maniac before the woman took her sword and plunged it into his heart.

"Remember the Alamo?" Daryl said, checking through the little slits between wood that covered the door.

"Help me with the door." Rick said to the woman and Daryl. He looked back at Ariel. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'll go check the back." she said, opening the door lightly. "It's clear," she called as they threw the man out to the walkers. Ariel felt a little bad but not enough to make her look back as they ran outside the house and far away from the walkers.

"Christ," Ariel snapped. "This is walkers; I don't even want to see what people are going to try to do to us."

* * *

**sorry it sucked guys, been a very bad week for me. two people died, so ive been watching tv but haven't had the heart to write. hopefully i get back my mojo soon.**

**anyway, shameless self promo in my bio, buy my book, give it a read, help out a self published indie author.**

**later days peeps.**


	21. Chapter 20

**msgemgem****: I am so happy that you love Ariel and her relationship with Daryl and Rrick; especially Rick. It moves me to know that people have recieved what I was going for with them, that she loves him to the same capactiy that she does Daryl but not in the same way. I also love that you enjoyed how Daryl and Ariel developed and what they do for each other. Thank you for your long and very flattering review. **

* * *

**Chapter 20-**

Ariel was trying not to panic, but she was finding that it was becoming very hard not to. They were holding up in a home after somehow managing to sneak their way in. But now that they were on the inside of the town, Ariel wasn't so sure that they would make it out in one peace. Walkers were one thing, but sneaking around in a town full of people who what, tried to kill their friends? Well, that was something else altogether.

"Thought you said there was a curfew." Daryl said, letting the curtain drop.

"The street is packed during the day," Michonne said.

"If anyone comes in here, we're sitting ducks. We gotta move."

"They could be in his apartment." Michonne suggested.

"Yeah? What if they ain't?" Daryl hissed.

"Then we'll look somewhere else." she answered rudely.

"You said you could help us." Rick raised his eyebrow, circling her.

"I'm doing what I can."

"Then where in the hell are they?" Ariel whispered.

"Hey." Rick tilted his head to them. Ariel and Daryl followed to the doorway where Rick said low to them, "If this goes south, we're cutting her loose."

Ariel bit her lip. "You think she's leading us into a trap?"

"Right now it's the blind leading the blind." Daryl shrugged. "Let's split up."

Ariel rolled her eyes. "I don't think that is a good idea." she whispered. "We're already few enough as it is, what the hell is splitting up going to do? It's not like we can send word if one of us is lost."

The door sounded, a voice calling out to them. "I know you're in here. I saw you moving from outside." he opened the door and they all disappeared. "All right, now. You're not supposed to be in here and you know it. Who's in here?" he walked to the doorway, Rick pushing him up against the wall and pointing a gun to his head.

"Shut up. Get on your knees. Hands behind your back. Zip tie him." as Daryl did as he was told, Rick asked, "Where are our people?"

"I don't know." the man answered quickly.

"You are holding some of our people. Where the hell are they?"

"I don't know!"

"Open your mouth." Rick said, shoving a cloth into his mouth. The man talked through it but Daryl knocked him out cold.

"Very nice." Ariel rolled her eyes.

"Come on," Rick said, opening the door. They slipped out, noticing that many people were running in the streets. They came through a small hallway eventually in another building, one that looked like an old garage or a very small factory. They stayed up against the wall, Daryl looking through a small dirty window, hearing Maggie and Glenn.

"They're there." she whispered.

Daryl put a finger on his lips, giving Rick one of the weapons that he chucked out into the open space, it exploded, the gas releasing itself. Daryl had his crossbow steady while Ariel and Rick ran through, grabbed Glenn and Maggie before running off.

They ran so swiftly, Daryl with his crossbow up the whole time, Glenn limping and Maggie halfway close to crying. When they found the same building they had been at before, Rick said, "Inside, quick!"

"Ain't no way out back here." Daryl said.

"Rick, how did you find us?" Maggie asked as she tended to Glenn.

He ignored her and asked Glenn, "How bad are you hurt?"

"I'll be all right." he was holding his stomach.

"Where's that woman?" Maggie asked.

"She was right behind us." Rick said, looking through the curtain.

Ariel bit her lip. "Maybe she was spotted. Want me to go look for her?"

"No. We gotta get them out of here. She's on her own." Rick said quickly.

Daryl nodded. "I ain't havin' you run around out there, not now."

"Daryl," Glenn called, as Maggie helped him put on a shirt. "This was Merle."

"Oh my God." Ariel put her hand on his arm. Daryl was staring at Glenn like he was a ghost, like nothing that had happened up until this point really mattered, or in fact, really happened.

"You saw him?" he asked.

" Face to face. Threw a walker at me. He was gonna execute us."

"S-So my brother's this governor?" he was lowering his crossbow a bit, and Ariel knew from the way he was moving that he was itching to hold her hand.

"No, it's somebody else." Maggie answered. "Your brother's his lieutenant or something."

"Does he know I'm still with you?" he asked hurriedly, walking up to them. Ariel was getting nervous, he was acting like he wasn't even listening to what they were saying. Ariel had never met Merle, but God if he was so ready to torture these people, one of whom he knew, what kind of person could Merle be.

"He does now. Rick, I'm sorry." Glenn breathed. "We told him where the prison was. We couldn't hold out."

"Don't. No need to apologize." Rick put out his hand.

"Rick," Ariel said, looking at him significantly. "They're gonna be looking for us. We have to get back." She tilted her head towards Daryl, hoping that he was understanding exactly what she was trying to say.

" Can you walk?" Rick asked, understanding what she needed. "We got a car a few miles out."

"I'm good." Glenn answered.

"All right."

"Hey," Daryl walked up to Rick, but Ariel followed. "If Merle's around, I need to see him."

"Not now. We're in hostile territory."

"He's my brother. I ain't-"

"Look at what he did!" Ariel told him. "Daryl, come on, these are the people who you have been with."

Rick nodded. "Look, we gotta- we gotta get out of here now."

"Maybe I can talk to him. Maybe I can work something out." he said quickly.

"No, no, no. You're not thinking straight. Look, no matter what they say, they're hurt. Glenn can barely walk. How are we gonna make it out if we get overrun by walkers and this governor catches up to us?"

Ariel nodded. "Daryl, please. You can't do this to us now," she put a hand on the side of his face. "If you leave us now, we won't make it out of here, not in one piece. Stay with me, please." she breathed, because if anything made her afraid, it was not walkers or the governor, it was Daryl leaving her.

"I need you." Rick said. "We need you. Are you with me?"

"Yeah."

Ariel kissed his lips quickly. "I love you hot stuff."

"I love you too."

"You with me?" she whispered, clutching the ends of his hair.

"Yeah." he breathed, kissing her again.

"Stay tight," Rick murmured. They came out of the house, but were immediately spotted, someone pointing out their position and firing off immediately.

"Get cover!" Rick yelled as shots fired.

Ariel was trying to move in the same direction that Daryl was moving, but it was getting hard to see through all the smoke. She was panicking, shooting best she could, getting cover in a small alley of a building. She touched Daryl, looking him over and being sure that he was okay. She barely heard them talking, there was too much happening, getting shot at instead of just running away, Merle being here, Daryl having wanted to go to him, too much, and Rick...Rick had barely just come back from what happened with Lori, if something happened now, to any one of them, Rick would go into the deep end of insanity.

"We need to move." Daryl finished.

"Any grenades left?" Rick asked.

"Yeah."

"Get 'em ready. We gotta gun into the wall."

"You guys go ahead. I'm gonna lay down some cover fire." Daryl said.

"No." Ariel snapped, coming out of her thoughts and forcing herself to pay attention to him. "You are not leaving me, do you understand."

Maggie nodded. "We gotta stay together."

Ariel got on her knees, grabbing his chin in her hand. "I know he's your brother, but if you leave me now I will never forgive you."

Daryl sighed and kissed her forehead hard. "I'll be right behind you, I promise."

Rick touched Ariel's arm. "He's got this, and I got you." he promised her. "Come on."

"Ready?" but before anyone answered, Daryl shot another grenade out.

So Ariel did the only thing she could think of and ran with Glenn and Maggie while Rick and Daryl both took cover and fired off shots. Ariel helped Glenn first, helping him climb on a bus before helping Maggie. They jumped over the fence, Glenn landing in a way that she was sure did not help his situation and the three of them waited.

Ariel was scratching her arms, waiting.

Rick and Daryl, Rick and Daryl, Rick and Daryl, Rick and Daryl...where were they, where were they...

"DARYL!" She heard Rick yell and Ariel felt vomit come up in her mouth. She spit some of it out, Maggie rubbing in between her shoulder blades.

When Rick came over the fence, without Daryl, Ariel felt her insides squirm again.

"Where is he?" she said, getting up, wiping her mouth.

"Sh," he held her hand and ran with her to the other side of the fence, Maggie and Glenn following behind. "Get down."

"Rick," Ariel breathed. "If he's there we have to go back."

"He'll come." he whispered, looking behind them when he heard something. It was Michonne, who had a few minor injuries to her, but Ariel could care less about that right now. "Where the hell were you?" he put his gun to her. "Put your hands up. Turn around. Turn around." He took away her sword. "Get what you came for?"

"Where are the rest of your people?" she asked.

"Daryl is missing," Ariel said, lowering her gun stupidly, but her fear was overwhelming her right now. "You didn't see him? Oh my God, if anything happens to him..." she breathed, putting her hands on her knees to throw up a bit more. She felt pathetic, a little bit, but she didn't care too much.

"Hey, we'll get him." Rick told her.

"We have to." she breathed. "I can't...I can't go on if he's not..."

"I know, I know..." he picked her up so she would stand straight. "She's going to help us get Daryl back, and then we are out of here."

* * *

Ariel, who had been throwing up but five minutes ago, now looked like more of a killer than any of them ever had. She had killed all of the people on the guard tower, her search for Daryl sending her into a spiral of pure rage. Rick had never seen her like this, not once. Michonne had said something about an arena, and it was like Ariel had been here fifty times before already that she knew where they were. She ran swiftly, jumping over dead bodies like they were nothing. She hid behind something allowing the others to catch up to her, when they found the arena.

"Ariel, wait," Rick said. He shot a bomb out the same moment that Maggie shot a walker in the head.

Ariel ran, she saw him and she ran. She watched Daryl look at her, and for a brief moment, the entire world slowed down. Daryl said something to Merle, but all she could see was him, that he was hurt and looking at her. She grabbed his hand, and he tightened his grip and out of the smoke they ran, hand in hand.

* * *

When they had made it back to the forest right by the road, Daryl dropped his crossbow and Ariel her gun. Daryl, shy, awkward Daryl, did not care that his brother was there, or a woman they barely knew. Ariel didn't care about any of it. She wrapped her legs around Daryl and kissed him thoroughly. Merle was making stupid comments and Rick looked away, but neither of them cared for it.

When Daryl dropped her she laughed into the kiss, wiping her tears. "Never do that again." she hit his chest.

He grinned. "My bad."

But their peace was short lived, Glenn and Michonne coming back from the road, all of them yelling.

"What the hell is he doing here?" Glenn yelled.

"Hey, hey, hey!"

"Hey, put it down!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!"

"Put it down!"

"He tried to kill me!" Michonne yelled.

"If it wasn't for him-"

"He helped us get out of there." Daryl said, pointing at Glenn.

"Yeah, right after he beat the shit out of you." Rick said angrily.

"Hey, we both took our licks, man." Merle said.

"Jackass." Daryl muttered.

"Hey, shut up."

"Enough!" Rick yelled.

"Hey, hey, relax!"

"Put that down now!"

"Get that thing out of my face!" Daryl yelled.

"Man, look like you've gone native, brother." Merle said with a chuckle. He waved his hand to a girl. "This your little sweet butt?"

"Shut up!" Daryl yelled. "No more than you hanging out with that psycho back there."

"Oh, yeah, man. He is a charmer, I got to tell you that." he looked over at Michonne. "Been putting the wood to your girlfriend Andrea. Big time, baby."

"What? Andrea's in Woodbury?" Glenn said.

"Right next to the Governor."

"You know Andrea?" Rick said. "Hey, do you know Andrea?"

"Yep, she does." Merle said. "Her and blondie spent all winter cuddling up in the forest. Mm-mmm-mmm. Yeah. My Nubian queen here had two pet walkers. No arms, cut off the jaws, kept them in chains. Kind of ironic now that I think about it."

"Shut up, bro." Daryl yelled.

"Hey, man, we snagged them out of the woods. Andrea was close to dying. Snug as two little bugs. So what you gonna do now, Sheriff, huh? Surrounded by a bunch of liars, thugs, and cowards."

"Shut up!"

"Oh, man, look at this. Pathetic. All these guns and no bullets in them."

"Merle, shut up!"

"Shut up yourself! Bunch of pussies you all! And you, you've been fucking some tart instead of looking for your big brother?"

Ariel, having had just about enough, would not let herself get demeaned by some asshole who didn't even know her, didn't even understand what she and Daryl had for each other. She grabbed Rick's gun and knocked him in the back of the head. She gave it back to him. "You're welcome."

"Look, the Governor is probably on the way to the prison right now." Daryl said. "Merle knows how he thinks and we could use the muscle."

Ariel was standing with her arms crossed, between Rick and Daryl. That was becoming a common place for her, being in the middle of them, trying to find common ground between Rick and whoever he was arguing with. Or middle ground between being on Daryl's side because he was right or because she loved him. Right now, she did not know who to agree with; Rick didn't want Merle to come back, but Daryl, obviously did. Ariel already reserved judgement that he was an asshole, but he was Daryl's brother, and she loved Daryl.

"I'm not having him at the prison." Rick told him sternly. "Do you really want him sleeping in the same cell block as Ariel or Beth?"

"He ain't a rapist." Daryl said. "Besides, he wouldn't do a thing, specially not to Ariel, not since he knows that she's mine."

Ariel frowned. "Did you piss on me or something? I'm not territory up for grabs."

"You know what I mean." he sighed.

Ariel looked at Rick, keeping her frown. "It doesn't make sense to bring Michonne back but not Merle."

"So you're on his side now?" Rick asked, offended.

"I'm not on either side, I'm just saying−"

Daryl snapped, "Why aren't you on my side?"

"Jesus Christ," she breathed. "I'm just saying that we can't bring one back but not the other."

Daryl looked at Rick. "We don't even know who she is, not really." he waved his hand. "But Merle, Merle's blood."

"No, Merle is your blood." Glenn said angrily. "My blood, my family is standing right here and waiting for us back at the prison."

"And you're part of that family." Rick told him. "But he's not. He's not."

"Man, y'all don't know." Daryl said. "Fine. We'll fend for ourselves."

"What?" Ariel breathed.

"That's not what I was saying." Glenn said.

"No him, no me." Daryl said.

Ariel moved in front of him now and slapped him. He didn't retaliate and she immediately felt guilty about it, but she did not move. She stared at him, her tears overwhelming her. "Rick, can I have a moment with Daryl please?"

"Yeah..." he brought Maggie and Glenn away.

"What the hell..." he mumbled, touching his cheek.

"Are you trying to kill me?" she breathed, pushing his chest. "I just got you back, you're going to leave me now?"

"It was always Merle and I before this." he explained softly.

" Don't."

"Ariel..."

"You cannot just leave me, you cannot just..."

"Don't ask me to leave him." he said, coming forward to her.

"But you're okay with leaving me?" she snapped.

"Course I ain't..." he sighed, taking her face in both of his hands. "If I let him go now, now that he's alive, I can never forgive myself. I love you, have practically from the moment I saw you, but he's my brother, and he would do it for me."

"So would I." she whimpered, tears falling from her. "Let me come with you."

But she wasn't surprised when Daryl shook his head. "Your place is with Rick, he needs you in a way that I still don't really understand."

"But I...I can't survive without you..." she cried, letting her forehead fall to his chest.

"You can," he kissed the top of her head. "You did once."

"I love you." she whispered. "I love you so much it consumes me."

"I love you too." he tilted her head up and kissed her lips.

God, it was the most heartbreaking kiss she had ever experienced in her life. She was crying, making it even more wet than it normally would have been. She was curling up into his body, tasting every piece of him, committing it to her memory. She was shaking too, from all the crying, and he was holding her in his strong arms, his eyebrows furrowing together, his lips quivering, and she knew he was holding back tears.

When they let go he kissed her forehead. "I love you, always have, and always will."

She looked up at him, his dirty, messy brown hair, his gorgeous blue eyes, his handsome face, his toned body...but no, she would not miss any of that. She would miss this, being held by him, feeling happy in such a bad world, having this man feel like the husband she always wanted. He was hers, and she was his, and now he was leaving and she could not follow.

"I can't watch you go." she shook her head.

He wiped her eyes and kissed her lips again. "Go wait in the car for Rick. He'll take care of you."

"I wanted you to take care of me."

He said nothing else. "I love you."

"I love you too...hot stuff..." she smiled lightly while he chuckled and pecked his lips, turning away. She went forward to the car, getting inside and waited for Daryl and Rick to have their words with each other.

Once she was sitting, she could not stop crying. She brought her legs up to her chest and put her head on her knees, crying so hard that she thought she would die from it all. There was nothing left of her now, Rick had lost Lori and Ariel lost Daryl. She would never see him again, she would never hear him get annoyed with her, or look at her like there was no one else in the room besides her. He would never nod at her in that way of his, the way that told her that he was trusting her, that he believed in her. There was nothing anymore.

"Ariel..." Rick was in the car now, the others in the back.

"I can't breathe." she cried.

Rick took her hand and held it while he drove, kissing it every so often, because quite frankly, there was nothing else that he could do.


	22. Chapter 21

**redangel2463: ****I'm so glad you enjoyed it and read it so quickly. I'm glad I interrupted your sleeping schedule.  
****Guest, WeLiveTheNow, Katarzyna88gb, msgemgem: ****You all seem incredibly distraught and all of you reported back with breaking hearts. That, is weirdly a very flattering thing to say, and to all of you who have your hearts broken, I will try to mend them the best I can.**

* * *

**Chapter 21-**

Everyone was asleep, but Ariel was restless. After Rick's final purge into the land of the insane, freaking out over the group of people who wanted to stay with them, he had spent the rest of his evening in his bed, Judith being passed around between Hershel and Beth. Ariel would have taken her, but she couldn't, she didn't have it in her just yet. She had wandered up to Daryl's perch and smiled at the poncho he had left behind. She took it and put it over her, taking the fabric and putting it up to her nose inhaling it.

It smelt like him, like forest, because Daryl smelt like the outside. It smelt like memories and her own hair mixed with his, sharing the poncho as a pillow sometimes. It smelt like home. So she wore it over herself because that was the closest she could get to him. She would not take this off, she world wear it every day. Maybe it would make it harder for her, but maybe it would make her stronger too. Maybe it would make her like him, easy to walk away from things.

No, she told herself, don't be stupid. Daryl walking away from her had to hurt him, she knew him better than anyone, better than that asshole brother of his, and God damn she knew that it hurt him to walk away from her.

But she was angry and sad and there was a large space where her heart was supposed to be. Sure, he hadn't died, not like Lori, but he was gone all the same. And they weren't in the world of texting anymore; there was no way for her to find out what had happened to him.

She walked aimlessly to Rick's cell, where Judith and Carl were fast asleep. Rick was curled up against the wall, his face unseen, but the way his body was shaking lightly, Ariel knew he was crying. She wondered if it was hard for him not to make noise, trying to let his kids sleep. Ariel bit her lip; she didn't care about the tears that immediately sprang from her. She didn't care about anything anymore. She walked over to Rick and got on the small bed with him. It would be a tight fit, but right now, being close to someone was enough. She just needed to feel another human body, someone who knew her. After Daryl, Rick loved her the most. He was her brother. So she curled up next to him and wrapped one of her hands on his shoulder. She intended to leave it there, but Rick grabbed it and wrapped her whole arm around him, bringing his hand up to his quivering lips, kissing it. They fell asleep like that, Ariel holding Rick, and Rick holding her hand.

They would never be the same.

* * *

The meeting that Glenn called the next morning was the only thing that got her out of bed, and it was only because Maggie had forced her. She hadn't eaten, her arms were raw from her scratching them, Rick was out and about losing his mind, and Ariel was finding it hard just to move her legs. They were all standing around Glenn making some kind of map but Ariel was barely listening. She had relieved Beth of Judith and was staring down at the sleeping baby.

"Ariel?" Glenn snapped. Clearly he had noticed that she wasn't paying attention.

"What?" she looked up.

"What do you think?"

"About what?" she asked.

Glenn was annoyed with her, obviously, but she didn't find it in herself to care. "We need to go back to the Governor, kill him."

"I'm not an assassin." she murmured. "Last time we went there, two people almost died, and right now, it feels like someone did."

Hershel agreed with her. "Rick would never allow this."

"You really think he's in any position to make that choice?"

Ariel half grinned, but it was pathetic. "Rick may have lost his mind, but he's not going to stroll up to the governor's gates and demand war. We've lost enough. I'm done."

Hershel nodded. "It isn't worth any more killing. What are we waiting for? If he's really on his way, we should be out of here by now."

"And go where? We lived on the road all winter."

Ariel shook her head. "We can't run away, and I'm not leaving." she couldn't leave the prison. There was too much of Daryl everywhere, and god even though it hurt her more than anything, she had to hold on to the pieces that would remind her of him. "Besides, we have a baby now, and you have one leg Hershel. And Rick...he won't leave here." Ariel got up and handed Judith to Beth. "I won't leave."

* * *

Ariel wasn't happy about it but she would go along with the idea that Axel would help her. She hadn't been very talkative, but he was being annoyingly nice and she didn't see how she could ignore him for much longer. They were reinforcing the wooden blockages Rick had set up on the small bridges between cell blocks with metal they had found in the yard.

"If anything happens, we'll just duck." Ariel said to him.

"I hope nothing happens. Guns scare the bejesus out of me. I robbed a gas station with a toy gun. Never even took it out of my pocket."

"You said Oscar was the thief. That you were in here for pharmaceuticals."

"Well, I didn't want y'all to think I was a violent man. If you follow me."

"So what are you saying? You're in here for a toy gun?"

"No, listen to this. The next day the cops found me at my brother's house. Still had the water pistol in my pocket. I swore up and down that that was the only weapon I had, but they said they didn't believe anyone could be so stupid and get away with it. So they turned my brother's house upside down and found his .38. Said it "matched the description. There you go. Armed robbery. Tell you the truth, I don't even know how to use this damn thing." he held his gun out to her but Ariel didn't take it.

"You're all about the truth now?"

"Yes, ma'am, I am." he stared at her. "That man, Daryl, that was his, wasn't it?" he touched the hem of her poncho.

She almost slapped his hand away, just because she didn't want anyone else to interrupt the current scent it had. "Yeah."

"He was your boyfriend."

"I guess." she wrinkled her nose, and then felt sad. She knew how much he liked it when she did that. "He was everything, not just my boyfriend."

"I'm sorry that he isn't here."

"Yeah, me too."

"Maybe he'll come back." he suggested, helping her with the last piece of metal.

"I'm trying not to keep my hopes up." she said quietly. "I'd rather not talk about it if you don't mind." she clutched the fence and watched Rick roam around in the fields. She wiped her eyes but there was nothing there, she was just so used to crying lately that she assumed there would be tears. If Daryl was here, it would be him helping her with these metal parts, and it would be them two running things, not Glenn. They would make the right decisions, they would let Rick take the time he was needing. Not force people to make decisions based on anger.

"I hate this." she whispered.

"I really am sorry." he told her.

Ariel nodded. "Come on, let's go back inside. It's so hot."

They walked together back to the cell block, Judith's cries greeting them. Ariel held out her arms and sighed when Beth gave Judith to her.

"Tilt the bottle upwards." Beth said gently, sitting with her on the steps. She was looking at her arms and then back at her face. "Ariel, if you need to talk about it, I'll listen."

"I have nothing left to say." she said quietly, watching Judith serenely.

"You didn't deserve this." she responded, touching Ariel's arms. "But I'm glad you didn't go with Daryl."

Ariel smiled lightly and looked at Beth. "Me too." she lied easily. "I don't think you guys would survive without me."

Beth grinned. "Probably not." she squeezed her arm. "We'll be okay."

"I hope so." Ariel sighed.

* * *

Ariel didn't realise she had been standing outside for as long as she was until Axel came out once again to greet her. Once he did and her head snapped back to reality, she felt her feet throbbing lightly, which made her come to terms that she should sit at one point. Not that she would anyway, not until Rick was back. She was staring at him, once Hershel had come to her and told her that he was seeing Lori in the fields, which is why he was there. She had thought about going to him, but then decided not to. She could do some things for him, but searching for his dead wife was not what she felt like doing this afternoon. It was enough for her to be stressed enough with Daryl gone and Glenn going insane on rage.

On the other hand, more than anything she wanted to be close to Rick. She wanted to be so close to him right now that there was nothing else besides them. It wasn't sexual or romantic, it was pure platonic friendship that she needed from him, enough to overwhelm her so much that she could forget about anything else. No one understood her like Rick. Hershel had his daughters, Glenn had Maggie, Carl had his sister, but Ariel and Rick had both lost someone they loved. Rick was her leader, her brother, and he looked to her. She wanted to be there with him. She wanted him. She wanted Daryl.

She was not in the position of getting what she wanted.

"Stress getting to your man Rick?" Axel said.

"Rick's not stressed." she snapped. "Rick is tired and heartbroken, just like the rest of us. He lost his wife, not his mind." she sighed when he looked offended. "I'm sorry for lashing out, we've just been through a lot."

"No need to apologize."

Ariel shrugged. "I can't blame him. Can you?"

"No. Not at all. In here I've seen plenty of dudes crack. But not me. I got on better on the inside. Things made more sense, you know? There were rules. Life was more simple."

"Didn't you miss your brother?"

"My brother? Hell, no. He had a real money problem."

"What kind of problem?"

"He didn't lend me any." When Ariel let a chuckle escape her, he said. "One time that son of a bitch-" but then, because they had not been through enough as it was, Axel was interrupted in the worst way possible. A gunshot zipped through his head, spraying blood all over Ariel. She gasped and went down with him, hiding behind his body.

_He's here,_ she said to herself, _he's here, he's here, he's here.  
_  
She looked around her, being sure to keep cover, but noticing in relief that Beth and Carl had taken cover. But God, Rick was out there, and he didn't have her to keep watch. He didn't have Daryl to keep watch on him.

Suddenly Maggie was there, taking shots, yelling at her to move. In a daze she got up, grabbing the gun that Maggie threw at her, joining in on the shots firing off, but her vision was escaping her. She was thinking too much, and they were too far, she was a good shot, but she didn't see how she would manage to hit them from this distance. Then a van drove through, breaking the fences, creating havoc, unleashing walkers in their front yard.

Son of a bitch.

Hershel was out there. Rick, Rick, _Rick_...

Ariel kept shooting, getting someone up on the guard tower while Rick's shots were heard out onto the field with the walkers lining up from all the sounds. Those on the yard were being cut down by Michonne, shot by Hershel and Maggie. But there was too much and Ariel had to get to Rick, someone _had to get to Rick_.  
They ran out onto the field, helping Michonne and Hershel, and then Ariel found herself running through the fields, because Rick...Rick...

"NO!" she yelled, when Rick had three up on him, but she couldn't shoot, not when they were all close to him like that, she could hit him...

But then, as though God had been listening to her the whole time, an arrow went through the walker's head.

Ariel forgot about the walkers, forgot about the governor. She was staring at the man who saved Rick like she was looking at a god.

"Daryl."

* * *

**okay guys I'm leaving for New York tonight so until next week no new updates! Sorry :) but the next chapter will be full of argues, smut, bromance and more smut. So I will make up for lost times.**


	23. Chapter 22

**MicroSpider: Haha, me too!**

**Redangel2463: Thank you and I did have fun! **

**msgemgem: I totally agree, I am just as happy to have them back together!**

* * *

**Chapter 22-**

Daryl was pissed off, and with good reason. He had thought that his reunion with Ariel would be heart warming and full of kisses, hugging and maybe even her dragging him to the guard tower for a quickie, despite everyone around them. He not only got no such thing, but he had gotten something that he really had not seen coming. She had stomped right up to him and smacked him across the face. She was yelling something fierce, swearing and hitting him on every piece of his body that she could manage to get, Merle laughing up a storm in the background. It took Rick to part them, grabbing her around her stomach and dragging her off.

Daryl had obviously yelled back. Like he was going to take any of this shit from her after he _came back for her_. Well, for all of them, but she was the biggest piece of him. He called her crazy a couple of times, swearing under his breath as she walked away, pushing Rick off her and making prominent footprints in the dirt as she stamped her way back to the prison. Maggie and Beth were the ones who joined her that she did not push away. Women have to stick together, Daryl supposed.

Now he was looking down at the others in their cell block, leaning over the railing. Beth was holding Judith, whom Daryl had kissed gently on seeing her again. Hershel was sitting on the steps while the rest of them were standing. Normally, Ariel would have been next to Daryl in this situation, but today she stood next to Rick, so close that it brought up old jealousy in him, but he knew he was being irrational. They were fighting, they had fought before, and they would get over it. Ariel could not stay mad at him forever. Why she was mad, he didn't even know, he came back, what was maddening about that anyway?

"We're not leaving." Rick said forcefully.

"We can't stay here!" Hershel exclaimed.

"What if there's another sniper?" Maggie asked. "A wood pallet won't stop one of those rounds."

"We can't even go outside." Beth said. "Not in the daylight."

"Rick says we're not running, we're not running." Glenn snapped, and Daryl saw Ariel roll her eyes. He wondered why.

"No," Merle said from his place behind the prison doors, right outside the block. "Better to live like rats."

"Why don't you just shut the hell up?" Ariel snapped, and Daryl shifted, wondering if he would have to make his way down to stop her from going on another slapping rampage.

"Ariel," Rick murmured, touching her arm. Daryl frowned further; _he_ should be the one calming her down right now, not Rick. He looked at Merle. "You got a better idea?"

"Yeah, we should have slid out of here last night and lived to fight another day. But we lost that window, didn't we? I'm sure he's got scouts on every road out of this place by now."

Daryl walked along, his hand sliding on the railing. "We ain't scared of that prick."

"Y'all should be. That truck through the fence thing, that's just him ringing the doorbell. We might have some thick walls to hide behind, but he's got the guns and the numbers. And if he takes the high ground around this place, shoot, he could just starve us out if he wanted to."

"Let's put him in the other cell block." Maggie said.

"No." Daryl murmured. "He's got a point."

"This is all you. You started this!" she yelled.

Ariel snorted again and Merle looked at her, smiling. "Got somethin' to say sweetbutt?"

Ariel directed her glare to him. "Say that again _old man, _I swear to God I will cut off your testicles and make you eat them."

"What's the matter honey?" he teased. "Thought you would be happy now that I brought your little toy back to you, you can fuck him whenever you'd like now. Lucky man, my brother."

Daryl yelled, "You'd best shut the hell up!" while Ariel tried to make a move towards Merle, but Rick had caught her in the same way he had done before, wrapping both of his arms around her to keep her steady. He was whispering in her ear, Merle was smiling and Daryl's rage was boiling to the top.

"What difference whose fault it is?" Beth yelled, growing annoyed with the lot of them. "What do we do?"

"We stay." Ariel snapped as Rick let go of her. She went over to Hershel and stared at him straight on. "Rick is our leader and if he wants us to stay here then that's what we are going to do. It's not anyone's decision to make besides his. If you all want to walk away from him like you tried to do after the farm then go right on ahead, do what you have to do. But you'll be going without me and Rick, so good luck with that."

Rick nodded. "Field's filled with walkers. I didn't see any snipers out there, but we'll keep Maggie on watch."

Daryl began his descent down the stairs. "I'll get up in the guard tower, take out half them walkers, and give these guys a chance to fix the fence."

"Or use some of the cars to put the bus in place." Michonne suggested.

"We can't access the field without burning through our bullets." Hershel said.

"So we're trapped in here. There's barely any food or ammo." Glenn said angrily.

"Been here before. We'll be all right." Daryl chewed his thumb. He had walked close to Ariel and was grateful that she hadn't pushed him away. She did however; swat his hand away from his mouth. He almost grinned, it was a habit of hers, to try and stop him from continuing his bad habits.

"That's when it was just us. Before there was a snake in the nest."

"Glenn, just shut up." Ariel snapped.

"Man, we gonna go through this again?" Daryl said. "Look, Merle's staying here. He's with us now. Get used to it."

"Hey." Rick said.

"All y'all." he mumbled, moving away and going back up the stairs. He didn't need to take this, not from any of them, especially not Glenn. He understood that what his brother did was wrong, he wasn't a damn idiot, but Jesus Christ, it was Merle against all of them, and if they wanted Daryl than his brother had to be here. Leaving had been hard enough once, he did not think that he could do it again. When he made his way to one of the cells, he sat down angrily, putting his head in his hands. He heard angry footsteps making their way towards him, but he did not have to peek outside to see who it was. He sighed and leaned back on the bed, his back up against the metal bars, the pillow halfway on his ass and his back, and crossed his leg over the other. He sat, patiently, waiting, his stuff all around him like he had never left. Except he had, which is what had him in this mess with Ariel in the first place, so now he could only hope that she would come back into this cell with him.

"Hi." she stood awkwardly in the doorway. "Sorry about Glenn...he's..." she waved her hand, apparently at a loss for words on just how much he was annoying her.

"S'all right," he shrugged, playing with his arrow. "Don't matter."

"Everything matters." she snapped, sitting on the chair near the doorway. "Everything that has happened matters."

"We in one of your riddles now?" he mumbled, looking up at her.

She stared at him sadly, which made him sad too. He knew that she was sad instead of angry now because of her eyes. Her brow wasn't furrowed; her eyes were shiny which means she was holding her tears in. He kind of hated that she didn't cry as much as she used to, he didn't want her to feel like she couldn't cry around him. He wanted to be there for her, and if she wanted to cry and hit him some more, she should, because maybe he deserved it.

"You even glad I came back?" he said.

She sighed, shaking her head. "Of course I am." she looked like she wanted to move towards him, shifting, and he wanted her to move towards him also but neither one of them did anything about it.

"Don't look like it."

"I'm not sorry." she said quickly. "I'm not. Maybe I over reacted, but I'm not sorry." she sighed again and put her arms around her stomach, hugging herself. "You left me and it felt like I had died. I couldn't sleep alone, I had to sleep with Rick, I wore your poncho because it smelled like you, and I made my arms raw because I was so anxious that I had no way of releasing any of it." she exhaled, getting everything off her chest. "I wanted to make you feel the pain I felt, for a moment, and maybe that was stupid and bitchy, but that's what it is."

"I had no choice to leave."

"You did have a choice." she shook her head. "I could have come with you."

"No, you couldn't have." he mumbled. "Rick needed you here." he looked up at her, placing the arrow down and sitting up. "You think it was easy for me, leavin' you? Hardest damn thing I've ever done in my life."

Ariel bit her lip. "It looked so easy."

"Right, Merle almost killed me from bein' sad the whole time we were off on our own. Missed you so much I thought it would kill me. I couldn't even hunt." he smiled lightly. "I never wanted to leave you. Never. But now, I'm back and all I want from you is to feel you with me."

Ariel smiled lightly. "This doesn't let you off the hook." she mumbled, closing the cell door and pinning up the blanket to cover it. "I'm still mad at you."

"Well," he watched her hungrily as she walked over to him. "we can have hate sex if you want, get it out of our system."

Ariel sat on him, her legs on either side of him, holding his face between her hands. She was outlining him, looking at him like he was a ghost, or a beautiful miracle. Daryl never thought in his wildest dreams that he would have someone look at him this way. "I could never hate you." she whispered, and then, their lips were touching.

The moment they collided, everything else followed smoothly but slowly, not rough like how they usually liked, but they made love slow, because they missed each other terribly. Ariel had bit her lip so much that it begun to bleed, and Daryl's grunts were being stifled in her neck, as his naked body went along hers in the most delicious way, and slightly agonizing for both of them too as his thrusts came so clean and calm. It was the longest they had ever lasted, all kisses and soft touches, whispers of 'I love you' and 'Never leave' and occasionally, 'Jesus fucking Christ'. They absorbed each other, Ariel holding the love of her life so close to her body that an onlooker would not have been able to tell where one of them started and the other began. When they both came, they had to kiss each other so they would not scream out, or have anyone overhear their moans. He collapsed on her, but she did not make him move. Being crushed by him had apparently never felt so lovely to her.  
She stayed under him, playing with his hair. "I missed you so much." she said softly.

"Missed you too." he kissed her neck. "I missed this."

"Was that all?" she grinned.

"Nah," he breathed serenely. "I'm sorry." he whispered. "I ain't ever gonna hurt you like that again, I swear."

"I know," she whispered. "I know. I know it was not your intention in the first place."

Daryl smiled in relief. At least she had understood that. All he had ever wanted for her was to be good to her, to be the type of man that she deserved. He hadn't thought he would be at the beginning, and then he had risen to the occasion. He wanted to stay that man for her.

"Don't let your brother bring you down." she murmured. "You're so good. You've come so far."

"Don't worry about that." his hand was sliding all over her. "I got you to pull me back."

"And you always will."

* * *

Ariel had wandered her way over to Merle some time later, after Michonne had left him. She stared at him and he stared at her, him smiling that predatory way of his, waiting for her to make the first move. But Ariel would not give him that pleasure, she stared at him with her arms crossed and waited for him to speak.

He chuckled. "You know, you and my little brother aren't as quiet as you like to think you are."

Ariel would not let that anger her. "You know, I believe that somewhere deep down inside you, you are a good person."

"One of the few people who think that, I bet."

"Probably." she nodded. "Your brother loves you very much."

Merle's smile was vanishing slowly. "He loves you too." he said, a tint of...jealousy, in his tone? Perhaps Merle didn't like when the spotlight wasn't on him. "Little annoyin' if you ask me."

"I didn't ask." she said. "Daryl is good, and kind. And if you mess that up for him, if you make him step into his old self, I will kill you while you sleep."

Merle chuckled. "Man, did he do a number on you. Never thought little Daryl would have someone take care of him. Lone wolf, my brother."

"Your brother is Rick's right hand man. He is important to this group and I am in love with him. You want to stay here, fine, but I swear to God you better pick yourself up, because he is not getting away from me ever again."

Merle stood up and held out his hand. When she took it and they shook hands, he smiled. "Well, if I had to lose him to a girl, he made a good choice."

When someone cleared their throat behind them, Merle was still smiling and Ariel whipped her head around. Daryl was walking up to them, smiling lightly at her, his gorgeous hair sex-ridden and his eyes back to their warm color that she so adored. He took her hand when she released it from Merle and held it in his, and she felt more at home than ever.

"Everythin' alright?" he asked her.

"Yeah." she kissed his jaw.

Merle nodded. "Got yourself a fine lady, brother."

"Yeah, I know." he mumbled, but his eyes lit up when his brother had said those words.

"Dad!" Carl ran in suddenly. "Dad!"

"What is it?" Rick said, looking over Carl for injuries. "What's wrong?"

"It's Andrea, she's here, and she's outside."

"Daryl, Ariel," Rick said, but everyone else followed too, except Hershel and Beth. The rest grabbed their weapons and ran out, Daryl following Rick closely, with his crossbow up. Ariel smiled at the picture of it all, sure, they were potentially running to their deaths, but the group was back together.

"Are you alone?" Rick asked, running up to the gate to Andrea, who was holding a walker away from her with a medal rod. Ariel was happy to see that she was alive, but she couldn't say she was altogether happy to see Andrea in general.

"Open the gate." she answered back.

"Are you alone?!

"Rick!"

"Open it." he mumbled and once Daryl did, she let the walker go and walked in, Rick pretty much losing it on her. "Hands up! Turn around. Turn around now! All right. Get down, on the floor." he began to check her for anything, Daryl, Ariel, Maggie and Merle all looking around them to make sure that they would be okay. "I asked if you were alone."

"I am." she said breathlessly as he removed her back pack.

"Welcome back. Get up."

* * *

"Hershel, my God." Andrea said, looking at him. They had brought her into the prison now, Daryl sitting on the table, next to Ariel, with Rick right behind her. Neither one of them was in a good mood, Rick and Ariel, and if they were even remotely happy to see Andrea they were not showing it. Daryl took her hand though, keeping it in his. She relaxed a little and Daryl felt a little better in turn with it too.

"I can't believe this." Andrea murmured. "Where's Shane? And Lori?"

Daryl wasn't surprised when Ariel answered for Rick. "She had a girl. Lori didn't survive. Neither did T-Dog."

"I'm so sorry. Carl. Rick, I-" but she didn't do anything because Rick moved back and his hand flittered over to Ariel. Andrea watched Ariel catch Rick's hand, and Daryl wondered if she was passing judgement, like the way she had done with Lori. Except Ariel wasn't dating both of them, they just both needed her.

"You all live here?" she asked.

"Here and the cell block." Glenn said.

"There? Well, can I go in?"

"I won't allow that." Rick said.

"I'm not an enemy, Rick."

"We had that field and courtyard until your boyfriend tore down the fence with a truck and shot us up."

"He said you fired first."

"Well, he's lying."

Hershel sighed. "He killed an inmate who survived in here."

"We liked him." Daryl said. "He was one of us."

"I didn't know anything about that." she said. "As soon as I found out, I came. I didn't even know you were in Woodbury until after the shoot-out."

"That was days ago." Glenn said.

"I told you, I came as soon as I could."Andrea rounded on Michonne. "What have you told them?"

"Nothing." Michonne said smoothly

"I don't get it. I left Atlanta with you people and now I'm the odd man out?"

"He almost killed Michonne and he would have killed us." Glenn said.

"With his finger on the trigger." Andrea pointed to Merle. "Isn't he the one who kidnapped you? Who beat you? Look, I cannot excuse or explain what Philip has done. But I am here trying to bring us together. We have to work this out."

"There's nothing to work out." Rick said, letting go of Ariel's hand. "We're gonna kill him. I don't know how or when, but we will."

"We can settle this. There is room at Woodbury for all of you."

"You know better than that." Merle chuckled.

Andrea looked to Ariel, which, if Daryl knew his girl like he thought he did, that was the last thing she wanted. "Ariel," she said. "You have always had Rick's ear. You're telling me you don't agree with me on this one? This is peace, we're talking about here."

"He almost fed my boyfriend to walkers." Ariel said. "Daryl almost died, so did Maggie and Glenn. You might have forgotten your family, but I haven't." she looked to Rick. "I go where Rick goes."

Andrea put her head in her hands, as Hershel said, "What makes you think this man wants to negotiate? Did he say that?"

"No." she admitted.

"Then why did you come here?"

"Because he's gearing up for war. The people are terrified. They see you as killers. They're training to attack."

"I'll tell you what." Daryl said, his voice so calm that he realized himself it made him all the more dangerous. Ariel was right, they knew who their family was, and he was going to protect them until his dying breath. Which, if Daryl had it his way, would not be for a really long time. "Next time you see Philip, you tell him I'm gonna take his other eye."

"We're taken too much shit for too long." Glenn said. "He wants a war? He's got one."

"Rick. If you don't sit down and try to work this out, I don't know what's gonna happen. He has a whole town. Look at you. You've lost so much already. You can't stand alone anymore."

"You want to make this right, get us inside." Rick said.

"No."

"Then we got nothing to talk about." he said, walking away.

"There are innocent people!" she yelled after them.

* * *

Ariel didn't know why she was walking up to Andrea, who was holding Judith. Honestly, she hadn't wanted to, but her feet were moving on their own accord and as much as she disliked Andrea she had something to say.

"Saying hi to little ass-kicker?" she smiled warmly at the baby.

"Let me guess, Daryl named her that." she said knowingly.

Ariel nodded, leaning against the railing. "Yeah, her name is Judith. Lori died with Maggie and Carl, during a C-section. Carl killed her."

"Oh my God."

Ariel continued bluntly. "Rick killed Shane, T-Dog got bit and I almost lost two people I consider my siblings, not to mention the love of my life."

Andrea shook her head. "Rick's become cold. Unsteady."

"Rick lost his wife." Ariel snapped. "Rick lost his best friend, his wife, and his kids are growing up in a world that is making them hard. Look, I know you and I have never been close or seen eye to eye on much, but one thing I think both you and I can agree on is that this shit needs to end."

"What do you think I'm trying to do?"

"This? This isn't enough." Ariel shook her head. "You have access to the governor. So kill him. Because if you don't Rick will, and you know that Daryl and I are going to follow."

"It's not that simple."

"It is though, it really is." she said. "I'm not going to lose anyone else over this asshole. We've been through enough, and you know that."

"I do." she nodded.

"Good, then we have nothing left to discuss here." she turned and walked away.

* * *

They had made love three times that night, all sweaty and broken and passionate and soft groans. They forgot about everything that night, about Andrea, Merle, the governor, Rick's anger, all of it. They fucked everything out of them and into each other, not taking it slow, but fast and rough and hard, because all there was, and all that mattered were each other.

Daryl's hands were running all over her back as he took her from behind, both of them biting down on their own lips so they would not make a sound, but Daryl was the one who was surprisingly losing his composure. He was curling over her, pounding into her roughly, Ariel breathing hard, holding the pillow so tightly her knuckles were white. They were caught in a fever of hard thrusts, Ariel meeting him on every stroke, and if people had not been in the same cell block, they would have filled the block with the sound of their bodies and their moans mixing together.

"Jesus." he whimpered, biting down on her shoulder, his back jerking as he released himself into her. It was all a haze, Ariel reaching her point and Daryl too, panting, knees shaking, sweat rolling off them.

"That was nice." Ariel breathed, laughing softly and collapsing. Daryl grinned and got behind her, taking the blankets and throwing it over the both of them, curling up rather comfortably on a cot together, his back up against the wall with her body pressed against his.

"It's always nice." he murmured, kissing the back of her neck. But he knew what she meant. She meant that it was nice to get away from reality for a few moments, to forget the whole world but not each other. Because the way things were going for them, their days would not be so peaceful from here on in.


	24. Chapter 23

**sorry it took so long for this one guys, so much has been happening! but I hope you guys like it, there are some original things coming up; this one is completely original, so i hope you guys like it. **

* * *

**Chapter 23-**

She had lost count of how many times they had sex the following day. Rick was out with Michonne and Carl, and sure, they had "chores" to do, but they had deserved the night and the morning to themselves. They had beat Maggie and Glenn to the guard tower, taking each other for most of the night, sleeping a fair few hours before waking up and doing it all over again. Ariel hadn't planned on stopping, but once the sun was reaching the point in the sky of it being noon, Daryl sat up and stretched out, the blanket falling smoothly from his body. Daryl was faintly aware of her watching him as he got dressed. He had grown used to that, her watching him move and get dressed, she seemed to enjoy watching him bend, looking at the contours of his body. He didn't understand why, he thought the whole act of dressing made a person look less attractive, but he also knew that it was pointless to argue with her so he just kind of let things go when it came to insignificant things like that.

"We should take the day off." she said from the ground, playing with the ends of her hair.

"Ain't such thing." he grabbed his vest from the ground and slipped it on. He grabbed her clothes and shot them at her face. "Get dressed."

"I don't want to. I know you like me better without clothes anyway." she grinned, sitting up so the blanket fell off her too.

"Don't matter," he began to dress her since she was doing a poor job of it doing it herself. "We got work to do today, gotta help with the fences and all that stuff."

"I'm sure Glenn and Maggie already started."

"Doesn't mean we shouldn't help." he pushed the shirt over her head. "So stop being a baby, how does that sound?"

"Impossible." she grabbed his shirt and pulled him down, smashing their lips together. It was hot and heavy as it had been since the night before, but Daryl was not as willing as he was before. "Seriously, we need to go."

"Ugh," she waved her hands in the air, grabbing her boots that were strewn to the side. "Fine." she mumbled, scrunching her nose and sticking her tongue out at him. She tied up her boots and got up, fake curtseying. "How do I look?"

"Unhappy, so, like usual." he grinned, giving her another peck and putting his hand out for her to take it. She did and he breathed out a little, because they could have sex all they want but holding hands was enough for Daryl to feel like he was really home. The prison was a building for now, Ariel was where his heart was.

"I really don't feel like helping today." she sighed loudly, tipping her head back. "Maybe I'll go hang out with Beth and Judith, watch you men work outside while she and I take in the sun with the kid."

"Sounds lazy."

"Well someone has to do it." she bounded down the stairs, Daryl grinning lightly as she did. She skipped on the stairs like someone playing hop scotch. He took them normally, because it always made him nervous that she was going to fall but he didn't say anything. He opened the door and of course, good old Merle saw them first, letting out a laugh and a whistle but not saying anything. He was, weirdly, helping out in the yard, but not for anyone's benefit but his own and his brother's probably.

"There's Beth." he pointed, where she was sitting on one of the steps.

"See you later." she kissed his jaw, walking away from him. The sun was hot and annoying but it made her skin pretty, and she had decided to take some good things as they came instead of constantly being unhappy in the bad world. So she smiled at Beth and sat next to her, shaking Judith's foot.

"How's the princess?" she asked.

"Very good." Beth smiled. "How's Daryl?"

"Daryl's...good." she smiled knowingly. "I take care of him."

"Oh, no one doubts that." she laughed. "Can I...can I ask you something?"

"Sure thing." Ariel tilted her head, letting it sit in her hand.

"How is it with him?" she asked eagerly.

Ariel scrunched her nose. "Aren't you a little young to have this conversation?"

Beth laughed. "I doubt it; I've already done it you know. The end of the world, remember? Plus, I had a boyfriend."

"Well," Ariel sighed. "Well..if this isn't a sex talk..." she looked at Beth again, still unable to believe that she was about to have this conversation with _Beth_. "It's nice," then she rolled her eyes at herself for not having come up with a better word than that. "No, not nice..."

"It's not nice?" Beth asked, her eyes wide.

"No, it is nice!" she exclaimed, rubbing her forehead. "It's better than nice, it's...well, it depends the night?" _God, this conversation could not get any worse._

"For me it was awkward." Beth said suddenly. "I mean, it felt okay, when he moved the right way, but it was kind of weird most of the time." she looked at Ariel. "Is it always like that?"

"No," Ariel patted her leg, though she wasn't sure why Beth was thinking about any of this considering the fact that it was the end of the world and it's not like Beth could just find a guy on a whim. But she decided to have this conversation anyway, no matter how uncomfortable it made her. "I know for Daryl and I, it was uncomfortable in the beginning, but it was still good. We love each other, so every time we do it, even if something weird happens it is still good because we can laugh and kiss and it feels okay."

"Something weird?" Beth half grinned. "What weird things."

"I just mean like, one of us accidentally poking someone in the eye or something." she waved her hand around, for lack of coming up with anything else.

"Ew!" Beth exclaimed. "Like with his..."

"God no!" Ariel laughed. "No, I meant with his _finger_, you dirty minded girl." Ariel shook her head. "Beth, honestly."

"Well I don't know! You said weird things."

"Not _that_ weird."

"Hey!" Daryl snapped, coming up to them. Ariel and Beth turned around with their grinning faces but then frowned when they saw him bleeding from his arm and limping slightly. His hair was messed up even more than usual and Merle was coming up behind him, grinning like a mad man.

"What happened?" from the look of his wound he didn't look like a walker had got to him.

"Merle was born."

Ariel couldn't help but smile a little. "You're a few years too late on noticing that." she said kindly. "Come on, let's get inside." she let him go first, smiling lightly at Beth as they passed, Merle staying behind. "What did he do?"

"We got into a stupid fight, brother stuff." he murmured, walking angrily towards C-Block.

"What was it about?" she opened the door for him and watched him with a smile as he walked towards Hershel, sitting down next to him angrily.

"Nothing, Merle's an idiot." he murmured as Hershel looked over it. "How's it lookin' Doc?"

"Just a scratch, bleeding has already stopped." Hershel smiled. "Just going to clean it and you should be good to go."

"You gotta wrap?" he asked, pulling up his jeans to show his ankle. "It's a little swollen; just wanna make sure it gets better quick."

Hershel nodded. "I'll go get it."

Ariel shook her head. "I'll do it Hershel, no worries."

"Alright," he patted her knee. "I'll go see my girls outside."

Ariel nodded and waved her hand. She took off Daryl's boot and began to wrap him up tenderly, feeling weirdly intimate touching his ankle. He sat there, completely vulnerable to her, which was a new thing for her. This way anyway. She thought that this was the first time that she was bandaging him up for real, without him complaining about it.

"What did he say that got you so upset?" she asked, looking at him from under her lashes.

"Nothin'." he murmured, looking away.

"Daryl, haven't we moved past this. Just tell me." she put his jeans back down and then put on his boot for him. When she finished and he still hadn't answered she moved up and kissed his nose, sitting on his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck and stared down at him. "Come on, tell me what's wrong."

He sighed. "He was talkin' about us comin' out together. Said some stuff about you and me..."

"Don't tell me you let him get to you." she sighed.

"Well it made sense." he murmured quietly. "He said how if we were in the world like it was before; you wouldn't even take a second look at me."

To this, Ariel laughed. She tilted her head back and let out such a loud and real laugh that it surprised him. For a moment it looked like he was angry that she was laughing, the idea that she didn't believe him made him angry. Then he seemed to realise that she was laughing at Merle's accusation but he held his pretense to look not angry, but at least annoyed.

"It ain't funny."

"It's hilarious." she kissed him thoroughly. "You and me, we're like magnets. No matter what would have happened, what world we would have lived in, you and I would have found each other anyway."

He grinned at her and kissed both her cheeks. "I'm worried about Rick, a little." he admitted softly.

"He's with Michonne, he'll be okay."

"Should be with us." he said roughly. "Don't trust anyone else with him, besides you and me. No one knows him like we do, the way he moves..."

"You sound like you're in love with him." she giggled, kissing his nose. He rolled his eyes and kissed her cheek, grabbing her face with a little severity, but all in a playful manner.

"That's you, remember?"

Ariel sighed dramatically. "How do I do it?" she decided to play along with him, figuring that if they needed anything it was some fun. "It's quite tough, I must admit."

"I can imagine." he said dryly.

"I think I've chosen who I like more," she tapped her finger against her chin, biting her lip. "It's just come down to who _satisfies _me more." she laughed as he held her tighter, kissing her all over her neck, moving up to her lips, taking her with his tongue. It was delicious, but mostly playful, all hands and laughter. Daryl laughing into her mouth was so breathtaking, especially considering the fact that Daryl Dixon was not a man who laughed easily.

"I wanna marry you." he said as they kissed.

"I wish we could." she said.

"Why can't we?" he pulled back, pushing her hair back from her face. She did the same to him and smiled back at his _gorgeous _face. Could people be so good looking that it made you a little angry, but in a good way? Was that a thing?

"Well, we have to go out of our way to find a priest." she murmured. "Oh, and that slight issue of it being the apocalypse."

"So what?" he murmured. "We can do it ourselves. I can get a ring from somewhere on the road, Hershel is practically a priest anyway..."

Ariel lost her smile, grabbing Daryl's chin between her thumb and her index. She stared at him seriously, looking for a moment of weakness in him. "Are you serious right now?"

"Why not?"

"You're proposing?"

"Loosely." he shrugged. "Like you said, this is the apocalypse."

She laughed in a high pitched, horrible way. She kissed him again, and whispered. "Can Rick be my maid of honor?" she laughed.

"Damn," he sighed. "That means Merle's gotta be my best man."

* * *

**sorry if it's a little quick and messy (haha, thats what she said) as i said, a lot of personal stuff has been going on, im doing my best to do what i can **


	25. Chapter 24

**hey guys! theres a lot of reviews but i love you all and thank you so much for all the lovely feedback, you guys keep me going and keep me smiling. if you wanna talk, you can send me a private message, but know that I love the reviews**

if you can support me by buying my book that would be lovely, it's in my bio! please help and support! 

* * *

**Chapter 24-**

"You sure you're okay, Daryl?" Rick asked, his gun out as they walked in the run down, very small jewelry store they had found. Daryl hadn't told Rick why they were there, not yet, he was finding it very hard to find the right words. How was he supposed to tell Rick that he planned on marrying Ariel in the middle of the apocalypse? Christ, it's not like they were Glenn and Maggie, slept with each other practically the first time they met, admitted their love a day later. No, Daryl and Ariel took time with each other, everything they said was important, even when they fought. This marriage, even though it wasn't official, at least not by the government, it was important.

"M'fine."

"Do you plan on telling me why we're here?" he was looking everywhere except at the wedding rings. Daryl didn't think whether or not it would hurt him, seeing those things, especially when he still wore his.

"Maybe." he mumbled, fingering his crossbow. He frowned and clicked his tongue. "Think I did something stupid." he looked back at Rick, who was a few paces behind.

"Like what?"

"I proposed." he shrugged. "Kinda."

"Well good for you." Rick hit their elbows together, smiling kindly at him. Daryl let out a long breath, _if Rick doesn't think it's stupid, then it can't be, right?_

"Thanks." he mumbled.

Rick nodded. "So, we're here to pick out rings?" he looked down finally, Daryl watching him carefully, waiting to see if he would break. "Might not want something to big, in case the diamonds come off or something." he pointed to simple gold bands.

"Those are like yours." Daryl murmured.

"Yeah, it's convenient, considering," he waved his hand around. "You know, this world." he broke the glass with his gun and took them out, handing the two golden bands to Daryl. "But that's just one man's opinion."

"Only opinion I want." Daryl said quietly, but of course, Rick heard him.

"Look," he handed it to him. "Looks about her size, and if it's not we can find some tools to make it smaller or bigger or something..." he stared at him. "Try yours on."

Daryl slipped it on his finger, looking at it. It definitely looked weird on him, a golden wedding band. Or maybe it looked weird because Rick was giving it to him. Or maybe Daryl just found it hard to believe that he would ever get _married._ Well, the old Daryl wouldn't, it was easy for him to stay loyal to people, of course, but the idea of marriage never crossed his mind.

"Fits?" Rick said.

"Yeah." he nodded, taking it off and taking the other ring to slip it in his pocket. "Listen, before we leave, there's somethin' I gotta ask you."

"Go ahead."

"Neither one of us can decide who gets you." he said quickly.

Rick chuckled. "Am I being adopted?"

"No," Daryl grinned. "Look, I wanted you as my best man or whatever, but she wanted you as her best man...woman, whatever." he felt his cheeks lighting up. "So we were wonderin' if you could walk her down the aisle and then give the ceremony."

"I am no priest."

"I know, but...she loves you, and you're...you." Daryl sighed. "I had friends when I was a kid, but never had one like you."

Rick smiled and clapped Daryl's shoulder. "If that's what you two want, then I will gladly do it."

Daryl sighed in relief. "Okay, thanks."

"No, thank you," he said. "It's an honor."

Daryl smiled, dipping his head low. "Honest Rick, she'll love it."

"Well after everything you've both done for me, it's the only thing I can think to do to repay you."

"You've done more for me than I've done for you." Rick said seriously. "For my baby...you've done more for my own baby than I have." he shook his head, Daryl not sure what to say, but he didn't have a chance to say anything anyway. Some walkers had appeared at the door and so their conversation had been cut short.

* * *

"For the last time, you don't need a dress." Maggie said softly, combing her hair. "You'll look beautiful in whatever you wear."

"But it's a wedding."

"No, it's a marriage." she reminded her, squeezing her shoulders. "Daryl is the last person on earth to care about what you're going to wear."

"But shouldn't I care? Aren't these the things we are supposed to care about?"

"Maybe in the past." Maggie picked out Ariel's cleanest clothes for her and laid them out. "But it's different now, and none of the rest matters. Daryl's gone to get the rings and besides that I don't see how you need a dress to make it special."

"I don't know, I just mean, it's something every girl talked about. I had a vision, I just didn't think it would bother me so much not to have it."

"You have parts of it," Maggie said, taking her hands and raising her up. "You have your family there to watch you marry the love of your life."

Ariel smiled and hugged Maggie. "You're my sister, Maggie."

Maggie squeezed her. "You and Daryl are amazing together. A dress wouldn't change that." she pulled back and put her hands on Ariel's shoulders. "Change, yeah?"

Ariel nodded, Maggie facing the wall while she changed. Given the situation, Maggie had actually managed to pick out the closest thing resembling their version of a wedding dress. She had found a white long sleeved shirt, light pants and of course, Ariel would wear her boots. Granted, it was no dress, but it was mostly white, which was good enough for her, even though she wasn't a virgin; but that was something else altogether.

"Hey, Mag, are you okay?" she asked carefully, changing her top. "I mean, after, everything?"

Maggie paused for only a moment. "Yeah, I'm good. It's Glenn who needs to get over things, I'm not a little girl, you know?"

"He loves you."

"He's reckless." she said tiredly. "Trying to undermine Rick the way he did, it wasn't right."

"Don't worry Maggie, honestly," Ariel struggled to fit into Maggie's slim pants. "Glenn will realise that Rick is the guy we need and that it's you who needs his leadership, not the rest of us."

"That's a little insulting." Maggie chuckled.

"Sorry, I didn't mean it that way." she zipped the pants and sat on the bed to put on the boots. "I just mean that Glenn is all about revenge, Rick understands strategy."

"You're preaching to the choir." Maggie turned around and crossed her arms. "He'll get over it, he has no choice."

"Fight the power." Ariel pumped her fist.

Maggie laughed and sat by Ariel. "Today is not about me." she patted her knee. "It's about you. So, come on. Stand up tall, look your husband in the eye, say your vows in front of the people who will torment you endlessly about it, and kiss him hard."

"I plan to."

* * *

She didn't look any different to Daryl, but she did. She was walking down in the courtyard, their family standing in bunches around them, trying their best not to look like they were in the apocalypse. Everyone was showered and groomed, the men standing on one side and the women on the other. Daryl was standing on his own a pace ahead or two of the others, looking at Rick walk with Ariel, and in her hands were Cherokee roses. That was what he saw; not anyone else, just Ariel. Then to Rick, with grateful eyes, then back to her, would he ever look at anyone else?

* * *

He didn't look any different to Ariel, but he did. He was standing in front of everyone, with his angel vest, looking at her like she was the sun. He looked once at Rick before his eyes reverted back to her. Because those were the only two people he seemed to look at. But he was standing there, in his clothes, and suddenly she didn't care what she was wearing, because there was Daryl and honestly, nothing else mattered.

* * *

Rick was walking her down, and Daryl understood now that this was where he was meant to be. Not beside him, or beside her, but with both of them.

* * *

Rick was walking her down and Ariel knew in her heart that Rick giving her to Daryl spoke volumes about them. He was not her father, but he was her compass, and sometimes, she had the honor of being his too.

* * *

"I love you." Rick told Ariel.

"I love you too." Ariel told Rick.

* * *

"Thanks, Rick." Daryl told Rick.

"She was always yours." Rick told Daryl.

* * *

"Hi." Ariel told Daryl.

"Hi." Daryl told Ariel.

* * *

"I have had the honor of knowing these two people since this unfortunate turn of events in the world. While it was not the way I would have wanted to know them, if there is one thing I do not regret about this life it is the people I have come to known, and you two, well, you have made my life a little bit easier, as easy as it can get in a place like this." Rick sighed. "You two are a shining light for all of us here. You always find a way to come back to each other. You managed to find love and hope in a world where it is so hard to find. Your love, it gives the rest of us hope. And the only thing I have to say if that I love you both. You two are family, and now you are husband and wife."

* * *

"When I met you in the woods that day, with your stupid crossbow pointing at my face I never thought I could fall for someone so rude and mean and someone who barely spoke to begin with. But with time, you kept saving me, and I kept saving you, and I found myself falling in deeper. You make my world so bright, Daryl Dixon. I am so hopelessly, and desperately in love with you. Thank you for being my angel. I love you."

* * *

"...sorry Merle's laughin'...shut _up_. Sorry. Okay. Well, I ain't ever been so good with words, but the only thing I can say is that I love you. I loved you from the woods, our trips in the forest, finding out your secrets, and hell, I even loved you learnin' mine. I love you, Ariel, more than I love anythin' else."

* * *

"Secrets." she smiled. "Coffee, cats, and cigarettes."

* * *

He nodded. "Coffee, cats and cigarettes."


	26. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25-**

Ariel didn't think this was one of the better decisions Rick had made, but she also supposed that they really didn't have a choice about the matter. They were on their way to some site to meet up with the governor, a place perfectly in between the town of Woodbury and the prison. Ariel was on the back of Daryl's motorcycle, while Rick drove in back with Hershel. She didn't like this plan mostly because, with good reason, she didn't trust the governor, and she wasn't too sure whether or not Andrea should be trusted right now either.

Honestly, Ariel wished that she could have just hidden with Daryl beneath their sheets all day. Their honeymoon had been short lived, but taken advantage of. Rick gave them a day off from doing anything, which Ariel agreed to quickly; it was Daryl who needed convincing. Mostly they had just had sex, over and over again, Ariel was trying different things on Daryl now, which he always seemed embarrassed about, but he always reached the point of bliss, so she wasn't sure it mattered all too much.

But now, it was back to work.

They came to the site, a dirty and abandoned warehouse, with some towers in between, probably filled with nothing. They parked their vehicles, Daryl putting his finger to his lips as Ariel got off. She looked around, waiting for Rick to jog up to her before she followed Daryl, who led them. Rick touched her hand briefly before they went on through the building and the tower, Daryl pausing every so often to make sure the coast was clear before he went on his way. Ariel was a bit nervous for Hershel who was in the car by himself; she didn't like the idea, but stayed quiet about it.

They ran a bit off course, to a smaller thing, Ariel wouldn't exactly call it a house, more like a very long shed. Daryl paused, looking down at a walker, examining the dead body. Rick went round to the doorway, pointing at Daryl to go to the window. Ariel stood in the middle of them for a moment, not knowing who to follow.

She looked to Daryl for guidance, and with a small nod of his head, she took it as meaning to go with Rick. She followed him in quietly, her dagger out, all the way up to a table with two chairs that stood on a raised platform in the shed. Her eyes shifted to the window where she saw Daryl, before a noise made her whip her head around, looking at the governor come out from the shadows, a patch over his eye, his hands raised, with a stupid smile.

"We have a lot to talk about." he said.

"You attacked us," Rick said. "Makes things pretty clear."

"I was trying to make things clear. I could have killed you all. I didn't."

"And here we are." Rick murmured, and when the governor moved, Rick took his gun up, ready to shoot.

"I'm gonna remove my weapon." he said. "Show that I mean to negotiate in good faith." he undid his gun. "See? No trouble." he put his hands back up. "Now you..." he looked over at Ariel. "And your sidekick has to leave too."

Ariel stiffened. "Rick, no."

"Go." he said, not unkindly. "I got this."

"You sure?" she murmured.

Rick nodded.

Ariel kept her dagger out but made her way outside, running around to where Daryl was, catching his hand that was waiting for her, outstretched. They ran back around the shed, all the way back to Hershel, hand in hand. Both of their palms were a bit sweaty from the heat, anxiety and their weapon holding but she didn't want to let go. Her worry for Rick was sky rocketing with each passing second, and right now, the only thing that was making her feel better about any of it was Daryl's hand in hers.

Hershel drove up with the car, Daryl and Ariel slowing to a stop. "He's already in there." Daryl told him. "Sat down with Rick."

"I don't see any cars." Hershel said.

"It doesn't feel right." Daryl murmured. "Keep it runnin'." but then a jeep was coming through, and Daryl slapped the hood of their car. "Heads up!" he exclaimed, his hand leaving Ariel's, and for a moment she wanted to scratch herself, but she refrained.

Andrea and two other men came out of the car, Daryl with his crossbow pointed up. "What the hell? Why's your boy already in there?"

"He's here?" Andrea asked.

"Yup."

Andrea walked away in a huff, Ariel almost following but Daryl took her hand and shook his head. "Stay here now." he told her softly. Ariel let out a sigh and gripped his hand tighter; he let the crossbow fall and moved his arm so he had it around her instead of just holding her hand. He was glaring at the other two, keeping her close.

"Maybe I should go inside." Hershel suggested.

"The governor thought it best if he and Rick spoke privately." the man with the glasses said.

"Who the hell are you?" Daryl snapped.

"Milton Mamet."

"Great," Daryl's arm moved away and instead he went back to holding her hand. It made her feel a little better to know that he was a little anxious too, not knowing where to put himself. It gave her some ease knowing that she was not the only one worried about the fate of Rick's life inside there with the governor. "He brought his butler."

"I'm his advisor."

"What kind of advice?" Daryl asked.

"Planning, biters...uh, you know, I'm sorry. I don't feel like I need to explain myself to the henchmen." he looked over at Ariel.

"You better watch your mouth, sunshine."

The Mexican guy, who was leaning against the car, spoke nonchalantly. "Look, if you and I are gonna be out here pointing guns at each other all day, do me a favor, and shut your mouth."

Daryl walked forward to look into the man's face, closing the distance. Ariel walked forward swiftly and wiggled herself between them, putting her hands on Daryl's chest. "It's not worth it." she said, her hands moving to his neck. "Come on."

"We don't need this." Hershel exclaimed. "If all goes south in there, we'll be at each other's throats soon enough."

"He's right." Ariel whispered. "Come on, go back."

"Listen to your girl." the Mexican guy called out. "She knows what's best."

Daryl moved away back to Hershel, watching Andrea walk out only moment later. Ariel sighed and looked away from her, looking at Daryl and bringing his hand to her lips, kissing them softly. "It'll be okay." she whispered, trying to convince herself.

"I know." he leaned against the car.

"I wish we were in there with him."

"Me too," Daryl admitted. "But we'd be no use, make the governor feel threatened."

"I just want to protect him. I want this all to go away." she put her forehead against his shoulder. "If we weren't dealing with this, do you know how decent our lives would be? We could have already started making a home."

"It will stay our home." Daryl assured her. "We just gotta get these assholes out of the way first."

"Hey," the Mexican called out. "We can hear you."

"Good," Daryl called. "I wasn't trying not to be heard."

Milton walked forward before another brawl could start. "There's no reason not to use this time we have together to explore the issues ourselves."

"Boss said to sit tight and shut up."

"Don't you mean the governor?" Daryl growled.

"It's a good thing they're sitting down, especially after what happened. They're gonna work it out. Nobody wants another battle."

"I wouldn't exactly call it a battle." Daryl said.

"I would call it a battle and I did. I recorded it."

"For what?"

"Somebody's got to keep a record of what we've gone through. It'll be a part of our history."

"That makes sense." Hershel said.

"I've got dozens of interviews−" but a walker interrupted them, some ways away. Daryl's hand left hers, and he was off, the governor's guy going right on after him. Andrea was about to go too, but Ariel took her hand and shook her head.

"Let the boys bond." she said. "You and me, we should talk for a bit."

"But what if they need our help?" she said.

"They'll be busy seeing who's dick is bigger." she grinned. "Come on."

"I never got the sense that you ever wanted to talk to me." Andrea said, apparently all rules of civility gone between them. "Especially after what you said after I left the prison."

"I stick by what I said." Ariel said softly, crossing her arms to face her. "You should have killed him."

"Doesn't it matter what I feel?" Andrea snapped. "Or that I'm even trying to find an alternative?"

"No." Ariel said seriously. "It doesn't. He's a bad man, and he tried to kill us all more than once."

"I'm trying to fix it."

"You could have fixed it already." Ariel hissed. "Do you love him?" she asked.

"Yes." Andrea said, but her voice shook while she said it.

"Do you love him like I love Daryl?" When Andrea didn't respond, but instead her eyes flickered downwards. "I'd kill for Daryl, which includes killing the governor. Would you kill us for him?"

Andrea sighed. "It's not that simple."

"It is," Ariel shrugged. "The prison is all we have. We've lost so much Andrea. Don't make us lose anything more. What he did to Maggie...how can you even support that?"

"I don't support it." Andrea snapped. "'I'm just trying to help, to stop something like that from happening again."

"He's sick." Ariel hissed. "You were part of us once, don't forget that."

* * *

Some time later, a whole existence later it seemed, the doors to the warehouse opened and Rick filed out. Ariel had to withhold herself from running forward to him and hugging him. Instead she watched him until he was safely inside the car, and then went with Daryl on the motorcycle, her arms around his stomach. She kissed his neck before he started the bike, he turned his head a little to show her he was smiling, and then they went on their way.

The ride back was comforting for her, Rick behind her safe and sound, her arms around Daryl, feeling at least a little safe. Her mind was wondering about what terms Rick and the governor had come to, but she didn't care right now. Right now she wanted to get home to the prison, safe and sound, with the four of them in one piece.

When they got there, they filed out, Ariel taking a moment to herself to go hug Rick. "I should have been there with you." she breathed into his neck.

His arms tightened around her. "If something went wrong...it's better that you weren't." he pulled back, looking over at everyone else. "Get inside."

They all followed him in, looking at each other. Once they were in the cell block, Rick stood in the front of it, awkwardly, going in one of the cells to take out his gun. "So, I met this governor, sat with him for quite a while."

"Just the two of you?" Merle said, shaking his head, turning around. "Should have gone when we had the chance, bro." he murmured to Glenn, before walking out.

"He wants the prison." Rick said. "He wants us gone. Dead. He wants us dead for what we did to Woodbury. We're going to war."

Ariel watched him walk away, squeezing Daryl's hand and giving him a small smile before she looked at Hershel quickly. "Keep everyone here," she said. "I'll go talk to him." she said. She jogged after him, to the bridge. He was holding the fence between his fingers, tight enough that it looked like he would bleed from it.

"Hey," she said, kissing his shoulder. He looked at her and smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. He did however let his hand fall from the fence, for which Ariel was grateful. She saw the lines of it stamped in his palm. She took his hand and held it in both of hers, massaging it for him.

"Hey." he said softly.

"Rick," she started with his index finger. "You have to stop walking out when you drop bombs like that." she said. "You have to stay with us."

"I'm here." he growled.

"Your body is here." Ariel agreed. "But you are not." When he didn't answer her, she moved closer to him, stopping massaging him but still holding his hand in both of hers. He twitched, looking at her sadly. "What happened Rick?" she asked.

Rick sighed, shaking his head. "He gave me a choice. A way out."

"What does he want?"

"Michonne. He'll kill her."

"And then kill us anyway." she said.

"What if he doesn't?" he said. "What if this is the answer?"

Ariel had to try very hard to hide her surprise at Rick's words. She had not expected this from him, to be so willing to hand someone over. This was not her Rick. "Rick, why didn't you tell them?" she asked quietly.

"They need to be scared."

"They are." she said. "We all are." They had been since the very beginning of it all.

"Good. That's the only way they'll accept it."

Ariel couldn't believe what she was hearing. Was the governor really such a powerful man, one that would make Rick turn on his own morals? "She has helped us." Ariel shook her head. "If she hadn't come here, we never would have known Glenn and Maggie were taken. She's earned herself a spot with us, Rick, you know that."

"Yeah, she has done all that." he said, nodding. "But are you willing to sacrifice your family's lives for her. Daryl's life, my life?" he said, looking over at her. But the way he was talking to her and looking at her, made her scared. Like he was a man caught in the crossfire, a deer in the headlights, a man watching his world crash all over again.

"Rick, why are you saying this?" she whispered.

"Because I need you to talk me out of it."

Ariel felt her heart breaking. She didn't know what to say about the decision, so she hugged Rick instead. "I'm with you, no matter what." was all she could say. "I swear."

He hugged her back, so tight that she thought he would cut her breath off. He was clutching her shoulders, praying for guidance in the crook of her neck.

* * *

**hey guys! sorry it took me 56 years to write another chapter, i started school and now im writing for a magazine and i got sick, so I was very behind on everything in my life. Hope you enjoyed! please keep reviewing and loving it, it's the only thing that makes me continue!**


	27. Chapter 26

**hey guys! sorry this took forever, but i hope you like this chapter, it's not an episode, so hopefully I did okay. Heads up, I will be launching my actual author website soon and will also start selling my artwork.**

**P.S: NORMAN REEDUS OFFICIALLY OWNS MY NOVEL. **

**I met him for the second time at comic con, and basically, i'm dead. It's a really beautiful and long experience, I freaking milked the time we had together.**

**If you want to own it also, here's the link:  First-Child-Age-Angels/dp/1499590792/ref=la_B00L6AAAYY_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1410813713&sr=1-1**

**go to my bio to check it out!**

* * *

**Chapter 26-**

"Jesus Christ," Daryl huffed, dragging Ariel along with him in a hurry. They were running through the woods, as quick as they could. Daryl knew very well that Ariel could have outrun him by a mile, but she kept holding his hand, keeping pace with him so they would not be separated.

They couldn't have one god damn good day.

They were on a run, well, they were _supposed _to be. Rick had sent them out, not quite ready to talk about what happened with the governor the day before, and he had even offered to go with them. Daryl was wishing he would have taken Rick up on the offer, because they could have really used the extra hand.

What had started off as a simple pick up of supplies had turned into them getting cut off half way to the store by a mob of angry walkers. His bike was parked on the road, because they had gotten off to hunt, and now they were god knows how far from the bike, but thankfully, at least gaining some distance between them and the walkers. Daryl was hoping they could run fast enough, circle around and then find themselves back on the road, avoiding the walkers long enough to start the bike and clear off.

"River," Ariel breathed, pointing.

Daryl nodded and they went down a small hill, Ariel's hair was flying everywhere, it obstructed her vision and she went flying down, pulling Daryl with her. They tumbled, and she yelped while Daryl let out a grunt, both of them falling right down to the river. Daryl was having Sophia flashbacks for a moment, white spots in front of his eyes; he had this accident once before. Now he was sharing the experience with someone else.

"Daryl," Ariel picked him up and he shook his head, then he looked down at her arm, frowning at the deep cut.

"That's gonna get infected." he said, looking at all the dirt and pieces of wood stuck to it. He looked into her eyes and could tell she was in a lot of pain. "We'll have Hershel look at it."

Ariel nodded, biting her lip and forcing herself up, yelling out when she stood on her two feet.

"What's wrong?" he whispered, hearing the walker's groans get louder.

Ariel shook her head and lifted up one sleeve of her pants, groaning when she saw a similar and deeper cut just under her knee, blood running down and seeping into the river.

"Can you walk?" he breathed.

"Yeah." but she held his hand so hard that he knew every step was causing her pain.

"Okay, c'mon." he pressed, trying to sound encouraging. They walked instead of ran now, as fast as they could through the water, Daryl thinking that it wasn't so much a river as it was a stream that was pretending to be a river. The groans were closer now, and Daryl was being sure to keep his head at a calm level. Freaking out an injured Ariel would do him little good. He had a few scratches from the fall, but she had taken the worse of the hit.

A few walkers tumbled down the hill, but the moment any of them tried to make it in the water; they lost their footing, even though it wasn't too big of a current. It was a small victory, and Daryl took it; the water was also washing their scent away, not by much, but again, whatever helped the situation was fine by him.

It was another half an hour before the two of them made it back to the road, still having to dodge a few walkers here and there, the ones of the herd that managed to still follow them. Daryl didn't have a chance to put them out, not when Ariel was like this. Sweat was running down her face, and her wounds were ugly colors now. Jesus Christ, this wasn't supposed to happen.

"I can't go on." she said, shaking her head in apology. "I can't go on the run."

"It's longer back to the prison," he said, suddenly thinking. "There's a pharmacy nearby, we have some stuff in the back. You're a nurse; we can clean you up and stitch you fine."

"Daryl, I don't know." she sat on the bike, breathing harshly. He could not remember the last time she looked so broken.

"Hey, you're fine." he put both his hands on her face and kissed her softly. He took her hair band off her wrist and tied her hair for her. "I'm gonna take care of you." he had to make up for this, for bringing her out here and not being able to make sure she was okay. That was not his job; his job was to make sure that nothing happened to any piece of her. Now this shit was going to go down with the governor, and she was all battered and bruised.

He got on the bike and made sure that she was holding on tight to him, not minding the blood that was rubbing off on his clothes. She was so tired, so hurt that every moment he spent on that bike and not tending to her wounds gave him anxiety.

It took half the normal amount of time to get to the pharmacy, with Daryl going out like a maniac on the bike. He helped her off and she limped inside, having run from the zombies not in any way helping the situation.

Daryl opened the door for her and she nearly collapsed inside, Daryl picking her up, despite her protests and bringing her to the back of the pharmacy. He didn't want to be right next to the entrance, he had even parked his motorcycle in the back. The walkers weren't the only things to be cautious of anymore.

He went around quickly, in the back of his mind, he knew he still had to do the supply run, but right now it was all about Ariel. He went through the rows and found some pain killers, nothing too strong unfortunately, but something nonetheless. He had something to stitch her up in his bag since they always brought a first aid with them, but he found some more things to clean the wound and decided to pack it anyway, knowing it couldn't hurt.

He ran back to her in the back, smiling grimly at her. "I got you." he told her.

"I know hot stuff."

He grinned, knowing that if she could say that, she wasn't doing as bad as he thought. Maybe she looked worse than it was. "Been a while since you've called me that."

"I say it." she disagreed. "Not as much, I thought you didn't like it anyway." she hissed as he poured alcohol onto her leg wound first, the burning sensation making her flinch.

"Sorry," he kissed her hand, taking a clean swap and cleaning the wound. "And I used to not like it, back when you were trying to get me."

She snorted. "I had you from day one."

"Really?" he raised his eyebrow, beginning to clean her arm wound. He supposed that talking to her helped her a little, not as much as he would like though. He wished he could take away all her pain just by holding her hand. "Because as I remember it, it was me, holding you up against a tree with my crossbow in your face."

"And then before you knew it, it was other things you were holding in my face."

"You're disgusting."

"Oh come on, it's not like you _don't _do it."

"But you make it sound so, so−"

"Dirty? That's because it is."

"I do it in a romantic way!"

"Are you blushing?"

"Aren't you supposed to be in pain?"

"I am," she said, as she watched him clean the wounds a second time around. Daryl shook his head, trying to hide his smile but he knew she would see it anyway. He was never able to hide it from her, partially because she was always looking for it. He did know that she enjoyed watching him smile, he wasn't too sure why, but he knew there was a very long explanation behind it, which was why he never asked.

"You should stitch yourself," he said. "You'll be better at it."

"I wish we had Merle's drugs." she admitted. "This is going to hurt like a mother fucker."

Daryl frowned. "I'm sorry. I should have had a plan."

"This wasn't your fault." she said immediately. "These things happen. It would have happened with anyone."

"It shouldn't happen while I'm with you." he snapped. "That's why I'm around."

"It's fine, honest," she smiled at him, but there was still pain in her eyes. It burned him. "You cleaned it well, it'll heal."

"I just−" but Daryl heard the door open, and both of them fell silent. Ariel's face was a picture of panic, because whatever was opening a door and not making a sound, was definitely not a walker. Daryl put a finger to his lips, grabbing his crossbow on the floor and getting up slowly. As he turned, he saw her pick up the things to stitch herself up and began to work on her leg, all in a painful silence, biting down so hard on her lip that her lip began to bleed too.

Daryl walked slowly through the aisles, hearing footsteps himself. He was trying so hard to breathe softly, but all he could think about was Ariel in the back of the store, by herself, injured. Using his ears to the best of his ability, he made his way to the footsteps, finding the person who had entered the store. It was an older man, wavy, graying hair and a bit heavier than Daryl. They were dressed similarly, but the man had a gun.

Daryl didn't show himself, but he followed, hoping that the man would take what he wanted and then get on his way. His heart was speeding up more and more as they made their way further to where Ariel was, and Daryl knew that he would have to show himself now. He couldn't have the man go back there, where he would think Ariel was scratched. He wouldn't believe her; a girl he thought was dying, but what about a man who wasn't?

"Hey," Daryl stepped out of the shadows.

The man turned around, surprisingly calm. He had a full beard. "I was wondering when you would show yourself." the man said.

Daryl frowned. "Knew I was there?"

"I saw your bike in the back." the man tilted his head. "I'm Joe."

"I don't want trouble." Daryl said honestly.

"You're the one pointing a crossbow at me, son."

Daryl frowned further, and lowered it, but only a little. "I just gotta get some things, and then I'll leave."

"You don't gotta." Joe said happily. "You look like a capable young man, you could join my group. I'm sure they'd like to have a...scavenger like you."

"I ain't a scavenger," Daryl snapped. "And no thanks."

"Got a group already?" Joe asked. "Is that why you're here, making a supply run?"

"Ain't none of your business." he was getting angry now. "Just gotta get around you."

"Go right on ahead," Joe said, stepping aside.

Daryl didn't trust him, not one bit. But he ran quickly back to the back of the store, looking at Ariel who was finishing up on her arm. "Jesus," he said, wiping away the tears streaming down her face. Whether it was from the pain or her being absolutely terrified, he didn't know, but there was so much blood and she was crying, and Daryl's heart was breaking. "Okay, okay," he whispered. "It's okay baby, I'm here."

"This your girl?" Joe's voice came along.

Daryl turned swiftly, covering her and pointing his crossbow at Joe. "Back off."

Joe laughed. "I promise I won't do a thing." Daryl wanted to wipe that stupid smile off his face. "You two can get back to wherever it is you need to go."

Daryl grabbed Ariel's hand and pulled her up with him, she made a sound of protest but followed him, Daryl continuing to point the crossbow at Joe. Behind him as Ariel walked, she put a bunch of things in their bag as they made their way out of the pharmacy, as quickly as possible. The moment they were out of there Daryl ran behind, started his bike and met her out front, swearing when he saw Joe staring through the windows out at the two of them. Ariel was looking at him like one of the women in the horror movies.

"Come on." he said.

Ariel got on the back of the bike.


	28. Chapter 27

**hey everyone! sorry my updates have been shit lately, it's because a lot of things have not been going properly for me...but anyway I won't bore you with that. today I took a day off from school to properly update all my fics in the way that you deserve. so here we go! **

* * *

**Chapter 27-**

"Rick, for the love of God, please relax." Ariel sighed the next day. Since her return with Daryl, Rick had been following her like a puppy, which normally, she would have enjoyed, but it had come to the point of being unbearable. She loved him, she really did, but he didn't seem to grasp the fact that she still had all of her pieces attached.

"You're hurt, Ariel, I don't take that lightly." he turned to Daryl who had joined them outside. "You both almost got killed."

Daryl nodded solemnly, joining them along with Hershel. "It was a close call." he admitted. "That guy we met, really creeped me out man, and I don't take that shit lightly."

Rick ran his hands through his hair. "You can't do that to me, you understand?" he put one hand on her shoulder, pointing at her. "I need you to stay alive."

"Rick, relax." Ariel said. "Honestly, it's not so bad. It's cleaned up and already hurts a little less."

Daryl snorted. "Liar."

She whipped her head around. "Who's side are you on anyway?"

"Rick's," he grinned.

Rick looked at him, still keeping his hand on Ariel's shoulder. "Do you mean that?"

Daryl started at him. "Always have." he shifted on his feet, holding the strap of his crossbow. "Ariel told me everything." he treaded carefully, but when Rick didn't say anything, or look the least bit angry about it, he continued. "You gonna tell the rest of them?"

"Not till after," Rick said. "We have to do it today. It has to be quiet."

"You got a plan?"

"We tell her we need to talk, away from the others."

Daryl looked at Ariel, waiting for her to say something. Hershel and Daryl exchanged a look, before he looked at Rick with a sad expression. "Just ain't us, man."

"No," Hershel said. "No, it isn't."

Rick gripped Ariel's shoulder harder. "I thought you were with me on this." he whispered.

"What?" she asked. "I am."

"You are?" Daryl looked surprised.

Ariel shrugged. "What else can we do?" she whispered. "I just...I don't see a way out. If Rick thinks this is right..."

Rick turned around and shook his head, walking around in a few circles before coming back, his voice breaking on him in that way it did when he was begging for the people he loved to understand what he needed. "If we do this, we avoid a fight. No one else dies."

"Okay." Daryl said quietly, nodding. No matter what, even if Daryl disagreed with Rick's actions, they all knew that he would stand with him in the end. Daryl was not a leader, not in the way Rick was, he enjoyed being the right hand man. He would not let Rick down, even now.

"We need someone else." Rick said.

"I'll talk to him." Daryl murmured.

"I'll do it." Rick shook his head. "Just me." and before he could say another word, he left Daryl and Ariel alone.

Daryl waited until Rick was gone before he looked at Ariel and started to speak. "You really think this is a good idea?"

"Of course not," she said sadly. "But neither do you."

"Nah, it ain't right." he chewed his thumb. "But it's Rick, and he's gotten us this far..." he trailed off, throwing his hand in the air. "Damn, this is fucked up."

"I hear you." she sighed and grabbed his hand, kissing it. She missed him, being with him. Not that they could never find the time, they could, but at the farm, they had been away in their tent, away from the others, and just were able to talk for hours. They would go to the forest and look at flowers...here, they were trapped. Prisoners in their own home, all because one psycho had it in his head that they all had to die.

"How are you really doing?" he asked, looking at her wounds.

"I'm better, honestly." she promised. "The pills are good, it hurts a little still of course, but if I don't over exert myself, we should be okay."

"Well you know what that means then," he frowned. "If we go head to head with the governor, you can't come."

Ariel flicked his nose. "I bet that makes you sad."

He chuckled. "Rather have you outside the line of fire. Better this way. Gotta only think about Rick's ass and not yours too."

"I thought you liked thinking about my ass." she teased, pressing her lips against his softly.

He grinned against them, his hands coming around to grab her backside. "You know it babe." he pulled back after their kiss, looking at her lovingly. "Let's get you inside, please? Come on, those stitches aren't going to hell if you keep standing up."

Ariel knew that arguing with him would do absolutely nothing for her, so she followed Daryl back inside the prison, to their cellblock, holding his hand the whole way.

"I gotta go help out outside and stuff." he told her, leaning against the wall of the cellblock, looking like walking sex to her. She kissed his jaw line.

"You be careful."

"Always." he promised. "You lie down, play with my girl." he nodded over at Judith who was in the arms of Beth.

"I think she misses her uncle." she told him.

"Well once this is over and done with, I can finally take a moment with her." he sighed. "And with you. We'll be able to breathe."

She nodded. "We aren't leaving this place."

Daryl kissed her forehead. "I'll make sure of that."

Ariel kissed him lightly on his lips, watching him walk away before going over to Beth. "Looks like it's just you and me." she told Beth.

"Actually," Beth grinned slyly. "If you don't mind, can you take care of her while I go help? I'd like to do something more for once."

Ariel sighed. "Sure Beth."

"Thanks." she handed Judith over to her and then whispered lowly. "Have fun with Merle." then she laughed and ran out of the prison cell before Ariel could realize what Beth had tricked her into agreeing to.

"God damn it." she moaned.

But for a long, long while, Merle didn't bother her. She walked around with Judith, passed a few words over to her friends that came in and out of the cell block, Maggie even taking ten minutes out of her day to talk with her. Judith was a bit fussy, and that made Ariel wish that Rick or Daryl was here, she was a total sucker for the grown men. Ariel couldn't blame the little thing, their strong arms were probably a lot more comfortable for her than her bony ones.

"Ain't no way." Ariel heard Merle say as she settled Judith into the crib, having finally gotten her to sleep.

"What?" Ariel asked, looking up at him, he was standing on the balcony, looking out the window.

"Nothing," he turned around. "We got any whiskey? Hell, I'd even drink vodka."

Ariel wanted to say go to hell, but then she remembered that the love of her life was Merle's brother, and no matter how much she disliked him, she had to tolerate him. "Merle," she said seriously. "Are you with us?"

"Sure." he shrugged, coming down the stairs.

"I'm not talking about occupying the same space. Are you with us?"

"I'm here for my brother."

"So am I." she told him. "And for the others. And Daryl's not here for you, he's here for all of us. He came back for us."

Merle frowned. "You don't need to tell me that shit, little miss. I already know how much you mean to him. Whined like a little bitch in the forest, I'll tell you that much."

Ariel smiled. "Your brother has done a lot for us. Rick needs him, and I need him. And he, he wants you here. So Merle, don't let him down."

Merle didn't say anything, but watched Merle frown only further, going all the way down the stairs and disappearing from her sight. Ariel sighed, wondering if she had made anything better or just worsened the situation. Honestly, she didn't know anymore. Could things even get worse than they were? At this point, with their backs up against the wall the way they were?

"Hey," Daryl came in, looking sweaty and dirty and gorgeous. He kissed the top of her head before sitting down next to her. "You seen Merle?"

"He left like five minutes ago."

"Where to?"

She shrugged. "You alright?" she grabbed his hand. "You seem preoccupied."

Daryl shrugged. "Got into it with Glenn a bit, still pissed about everythin' that happened with Merle and the governor."

"Well can you blame him?" she asked.

"No," he muttered. "I'm just trying to find a way to make it easy for everyone to live under the same roof."

"That's a big responsibility to take." Ariel sighed. "I wish I could help. Do you want me to go with you to look for him?"

"Nah, I think I gotta do it myself you know?"

"Yeah." she brought their foreheads together, her hand on the back of his neck. "You're too good for this." she whispered.

"And you're too good for me." he curled her hair around his finger. "Thank you for being here, with me, always."

"You're my life." she told him, pulling back to better observe him. "I love you."

"I love you too." he smiled lightly, but Ariel saw that he was sad. God this man burned her from the inside out, in a dangerous but also a beautiful way. She loved him, every piece of him, no matter how broken he was on the inside, she liked to think that she was helping him stitch himself up. She liked to think she did, or she had helped, ever since the farm. He had helped her in ways that she could not even properly explain. They needed each other so badly. This place, this prison, it could be their life together, the one they dreamt about.

But not like this.

"Go find your brother." she said. "I'll go find Rick."

Daryl looked at her. "You need to rest."

"I'm resting fine." she smiled lightly, kissing him again. "Go on, go find Merle."

"Okay." he stood up with her and hugged her, burying his face in her neck. "Jesus, I love you."

"I love you more, hot stuff." she kissed his neck.

"Not fucking possible." he pulled back and smiled lightly, walking away from her.

* * *

When Ariel found Rick, she stood still for a moment, trying to contain herself. She hated this, seeing him like this. She forgot when she was with Daryl, because Daryl made her forget the bad things, but looking at Rick now, she remembered how much her heart hurt.

"Rick." she whispered, walking up to him. He was kneeling on the floor, his head in his hands, a blue wire wrapped around his hand. "Rick, Rick, what's wrong? Are you hurt?" she kneeled down next to him, wincing a little.

"What are you doing?" he murmured, his hands going over to her. "You're hurt, you shouldn't be here."

"Rick," she wiped away the tears on his eyes. "Rick, I'm fine. Talk to me."

"She's not here." he shook his head. "She's _not_."

"What?" Ariel looked to where Rick's eyes were straying. He was looking at the balcony, like he had seen a ghost. "Oh...Rick...is it Lori?"

Rick shook his head. "I can't do this." he said. "I can't bring Michonne."

Ariel smiled lightly, taking his head in both her hands. "And that's what makes you the man I respect." she told him, kissing his forehead. "It's okay, it's okay Rick."

"You guys were right," he hugged her tightly. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Rick, it's okay." she caressed his hair. "Come on, get up." she helped him up and wiped his eyes with her shirt.

Rick grabbed both her hands and held them tightly against his heart, closing his eyes for a moment. "Please, never leave me."

"Hey," Ariel said softly. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Please go tell Hershel," he opened his eyes slowly. "I'll find Daryl."

"Alright." she nodded. "And Rick...it'll get easier." she shrugged pathetically. "I know that doesn't help much, but it'll get easier."

Rick only nodded at her.

* * *

"I hate this." Ariel muttered.

"Me too." Rick sighed, holding Judith in his arms.

"I wish we were out there with him."

"He didn't want me there." Rick sighed. "I guess there are some things I can't help him with, as much as I would like to."

"Well that's dumb." Ariel murmured.

Rick chuckled. "Come on." he muttered, bringing her outside. "You alright, you've walked a lot today."

"I'm good." she said.

They walked outside where the others were sitting, and found a place next to Beth at the picnic table. They were all there, all of them except Daryl, who was recklessly off looking for his brother (which obviously gave Ariel anxiety). But right now Rick needed to speak, and so everyone was waiting to see what he had to say.

"When I met with the governor, he offered me a deal." Rick began. "He said, he said he would leave us alone if I gave him Michonne. And I was gonna do that, to keep us safe. I changed my mind. But now Merle took Michonne to fulfill the deal and Daryl went to stop him and I don't know if it's too late. It was wrong not to tell you. And I'm sorry. What I said last year, that first night, after the farm...it can't be like that. It can't. What we do, what we're willing to do, who we are, it's not my call. It can't be. I couldn't sacrifice one of us for the greater good because we are the greater good. We're the reason we're still here, not me. This is life and death. How you live, how you die, it isn't up to me. I'm not your governor. We choose to go. We choose to stay. We stick together. We vote. We can stay and we can fight or we can go."

"We stay." Ariel smiled at him. "We stay and fight. That's what we do."

"Daryl will bring her back." Carl nodded. "Daryl's good like that."

Rick nodded. "I'm sorry." he croaked.

"It's okay Rick," Hershel said with a smile. "You're okay."


	29. Chapter 28

**hey guys! so this is the last episode of season 3, and soon i will start season 4. keep in mind, that season four, i will change a LOT of things, and it will also be the last "season" of this story. I'm not joking when I tell you a lot of different things are going to happen. This one is a little shorter, but I had to wrap up season three, because this week at school will be hell so I wanted to put something out for you guys in case I cant this week!**

* * *

**Chapter 28-**

"Daryl?" Ariel covered the sun from her eyes, putting her hand as a cover. He was walking forward to the prison, dragging his crossbow behind him. He was looking down, apparently not at all bothered by the walkers that were coming up to him. Ariel slapped Rick's chest. "Rick, Jesus Christ go get him."

Rick looked up, confused as to what she was referring to. He had been busy playing with Judith. He handed his child to her and then ran off to the gates, Ariel motioning Beth over to take Judith. Normally Ariel wouldn't have minded, but something was wrong, she felt it in her. Last time Daryl had come out of a forest with his crossbow on the ground, he had nearly died looking for Sophia. And now he was returning from searching for Merle...

"Oh no," Ariel whispered, the realisation suddenly dawning on her.

Her suspicions were confirmed when Rick brought Daryl in, hugging him tightly. Ariel had never seen them hug, not really, not like this. Rick took Daryl's crossbow from him and closed the gate, walking him past the courtyard and closer to the prison.

Ariel would have ran up to him, but she knew that her stitches would not get her very far. She waited anxiously, and when he got closer to her, she saw, with her heart breaking that his eyes were very red.

"Daryl..." she moved his hair away from his face.

"Merle's uh..." he laughed under his breath, shaking his head. "That son of a bitch..." he whimpered, pushing the heels of his hands into his eyes. Ariel took him immediately, holding him close to her. He cried openly, his hands clawing at the back of her shirt.

"I'm here, I'm here." she soothed him, kissing his neck over and over. Rick was standing by, looking solemn. Honestly, she never thought they would be here, or come to this point. Everything bad that had happened to them happened to someone else they loved, like to Rick. But between the two of them, nothing like this had gone down. Ariel thought they were untouchable. She didn't think she would ever have to hold him like this, like a broken person. She had done it with Rick, and Rick with her...but this was Merle, this was Daryl's brother.

"What do I do?" he whispered, coming up. He looked at her, tears streaming down his face. "What do I do?"

She grabbed his face with both her hands. "You stand up, and you go with Rick and you end this. End this piece of shit." she told him.

Daryl nodded. He looked over at Rick. "She can't come," but the way he said it made it sound like he was begging her. "Rick, I can't have her there."

Before Rick could say anything, Ariel answered. "It's okay, hey," she brought his face back to hers. "I won't come, I won't." Because now she knew that this is what he needed. Even if she didn't have stitches, right now, after this, she couldn't come. It was too much for him. "I'll stay here."

He nodded, looking to Rick. "I'm sorry, I'm good."

Rick patted Daryl's shoulder. "We're gonna make it right." he told him, giving him back his crossbow. He walked away, nodding once at Ariel, going over to Michonne.

"You know, Merle never did nothing like that his whole life." he murmured.

"He gave us a chance." she kissed him lightly, and Daryl kissed her back, crying the whole while. "Please, Ariel, please stay safe."

"I will." she promised him. "You too, come back to me."

Daryl nodded. "I love you."

"I love you too hot stuff."

Ariel was looking over his shoulder though, and then her eyes widened. No, no, _no_. "RICK!" she yelled.

Coming up to the prison was the governor with his men, guns out and blazing. One guy shot off a bazooka, she figured, as, the moment it hit the guard tower, it blew up proper.

"Jesus Christ," Daryl wiped his eyes and hurried her out of the way. The cars came in, breaking down the fence, all of the men shooting and going crazy. They got to their positions, because they had planned for this; they knew it was going to happen. They were just backtracked with everything that had happened, with Merle...

"It's okay," Daryl told her. Just like that he had switched gears, being a scared broken little brother to being a fighter. They ran inside, before the men could properly destroy the gates that led them to the prison.

Ariel was nervous, but ready. They knew this was coming, they knew it was something that was going to happen. They had planned for this. Carl, Beth and Hershel were already gone, Maggie and Glenn had their positions with their armor. Daryl led Ariel up to the free guard tower, giving her the gun they had stored there. They ran up, holding hands, Daryl's face set in stone. They reached the top of the tower the moment the alarm went off in the prison and only a few moments later the governor and his people came out. They shot at them, but not to kill them, just to drive them away. Daryl's shooting was perfection, getting so close to them that at some points Ariel thought he had actually shot a few.

It didn't take long after that for the governor to clear out, to leave with his men. Daryl nodded as he did, motioning for Ariel to come back down with him. They met up with the others, Ariel relieved to find that Rick was okay.

"We did it." Maggie said with a smile.

"We should finish it." Daryl said. "We should go after them now."

"We are." Rick assured him. "We can't live like this."

Ariel bit her lip. "You guys have to be careful. You barely made it out alive last time." she looked at Daryl.

"I don't care." he answered.

Rick nodded. "Yeah...let's check on the others." he led them back inside, where Rick waited anxiously for Carl, Hershel and Beth. Ariel held Daryl's hand, kissing his cheek while he sat down on the table, running his hand through his hair. Ariel smiled as Rick reunited with Judith, kissing her head.

Daryl was anxious, tapping his foot repeatedly from where he sat on the table. Ariel was between his legs, looking at him even though he was avoiding her gaze. She didn't mind. If it was too hard to look at her right now, after everything he had just been through, that was okay.

"I'm sorry about Merle." she whispered, kissing his forehead. "I really am."

"I know." he pulled her closer, his hand tight on the small of her back.

"You're so anxious." she whispered, hugging him.

"I got you." was all he answered, quietly. "I just want to go. I wanna go finish it, and then come home to you and just..."

"I know baby." she kissed his hair. "And you will."

* * *

"Rick," Ariel jogged up to him. Daryl was already waiting with Michonne down by the gates, him on his bike and her in the truck. "Hey." The others were there too, Maggie and Glenn offered to stay behind to help, now that Ariel was with stitches.

"Hey." he forced a smile.

"Rick," she sighed, hugging him tightly. "Please, for the love of God, be careful."

"I will." he hugged her back, kissing her cheek. "And don't worry, I'll take care of him."

"Take care of yourself too." she grabbed his face with her hands, trying not to cry. "This man...I'm tired Rick, and I don't want to lose you guys."

"You won't." he grabbed the back of her neck, putting their foreheads togehter. "You trust me?"

"You know I do."

"I'll bring us back. I promise."

"Jesus," she shook her head. "You know I love you Rick."

"I love you too." he hugged her again. "You're my family."

* * *

The rest of the day was the longest day Ariel had ever been through. It was worse than when Daryl had left her, because now, they were walking right into the nest of the enemy. Ariel was pacing outside, the gun around her, her knife to her side and her stitches screaming at her to relax. Hershel was inside with Beth and Judith. Glenn and Maggie and Carl were outside with her, watching her.

"Ariel," Maggie said slowly. "You need to sit down, you're going to open your stitches."

"I'm fine." she said.

Maggie sighed and got up, taking Ariel's hand. "Hey," she said softly. "Come and sit, please." her voice was shaking. She took out a tissue from her pocket and pressed it against one of Ariel's cuts. "Please."

"Okay." Ariel nodded, going over with her. "Okay."

But they didn't come back, not until the morning, and by the time that had came around, Ariel had a few mosquito bites on her, deep circles under her eyes, and her arms were disgustingly red from scratching them. Maggie had sat with her all night, fallen asleep a bit, but hadn't moved from her spot. When the sun rose, they waited again together, Maggie bandaging her arms and sitting with her again.

Hearing Daryl's motorcycle nearly made her throw up; but in a weird, good way. She got up, Maggie grinning with her and running forward to open the gate for Daryl who was leading a bus. Ariel didn't care. She didn't care who was on the bus, all she saw was him, and he rode up the fastest, on his bike.

Ariel laughed, and was so grateful to see him get off that bike and run up to her, taking her in his arms, and sighing in relief.

"Andrea's gone." he told her.

Ariel tensed, but she didn't say anything. She felt sadness, but was too overwhelmed with Daryl being safe that she found it so difficult to care about anything else besides that.

"We brought them all back." he said.

Ariel held him tighter. "That was the longest night of my life."

"You don't care about anythin' I'm sayin' do you?" he chuckled, kissing her shoulder.

"Not one bit." she sniffed.

"Go on, go see Rick before he helps the people get settled." he kissed her lovingly on her lips, her face in his hands this time, and she melted into him. She whimpered when he pulled away but she smiled at him because he was smiling too. That's all she wanted, she wanted to see him smile.

She wanted that for Rick too.

She turned around and ran up to him, and he already had his arms out waiting for her. She walked into them and wrapped her arms around his waist. "I'm so glad you guys are okay."

"I'm glad to be home." he whispered. "I can't see her anymore." his voice dropped even lower.

Ariel pulled back, touching his face. "Is that a good thing?"

"I think so." he nodded. "I think it means I did something good."

"Rick, you always do something good. Everything you do, is for the greater good."

He looked at her with a soft smile. "Things are gonna change now."

"I know."

"Are you with me?"

"Always."


	30. Chapter 29

**hey peeps! sorry it took a thousand years for this to come out, but i hope you like this chapter, because i do a lot. i smiled a lot while i wrote it. there are also some twists that are beginning, so i hope you enjoy them!**

* * *

**Chapter 29-**

Ariel grinned, stretching in her tiny bed, purposely allowing her legs to push on Daryl's, making him squirm in his sleep. He moaned and turned around to face the wall, curling up a little to nearly push Ariel off the bed. She grinned, rubbing her eyes and curled closer to him, kissing his neck, moving his growing hair out of the way.

"Morning." she allowed her hand to travel slowly down towards his manhood.

He groaned...or moaned, she couldn't quite tell, not with the way he was half asleep and half turned on. She grinned however when she felt him tense, she watched his fingers curl over the thin blanket that they had draped over them.

"..'riel..." he whispered.

Ariel grinned, her hand slipping through his pajama bottoms (what an effort it was to get him to agree to wear those instead of jeans at night) and curled around his manhood, squeezing it gently. Daryl let out a sigh, but not a relieved one, and his eyelids that had been closed, were now fluttering open.

Ariel loosely stroked him, all the while kissing his neck, whispering sweet nothings to him. She was turned on herself, but not in a way that made her beg for his attention, not yet. She woke up wanting to take care of him this morning, and she would do just that, and maybe, later, if he wanted to return the favor, that would be more than welcome. But for now, she was okay doing this.

She knew she was succeeding in her small attempt of slow torture when Daryl started to roll his hips, fucking her hand as much as she was getting him off. His breaths were coming a little quicker now, and his eyes had returned to shutting themselves, sleepily moving to meet the movements of her.

He moaned, a little too loud and Ariel grinned, kissing his shoulder. "Quiet," she whispered. "We have kids around now..."

"Kiss me," he breathed, turning himself onto his back, grabbing the back of her head, pulling her down immediately. She was a little surprised by the action, not that she and Daryl didn't kiss, but he usually did not demand that, in such a needy sort of way. Normally it was the other way around. He rolled his hips forward, fucking himself into Ariel's hand, gasping into the kiss.

He tasted so lovely.

She was going agonizingly slow on him, and she could tell it was unbearable. She enjoyed that though, that small ounce of pain she was causing, not that she liked to see him in pain, but she loved watching the effect she was able to have on him. That more than anything is what turned her on.

Daryl bit his lip as she watched him, all messy bed hair and sleepy half lidded eyes, blue eyes ridden with lust...god he was so beautiful. She continued with her slow, steady rhythm and watched him tighten, his hand taking her free one and settling it on his lean stomach, holding it tightly as he came.

"Holy hell." he breathed as he finished, looking dazed and even more tired than before. "Good fuckin' morning."

Ariel laughed. "My turn?" she asked.

Daryl kissed her softly. "Your turn." and he flipped her over.

* * *

It had taken a long time for the group to get to this point. Ariel was proud of them all, making the prison into a home for themselves, Rick putting down his gun for a while and focusing more on being a father, taking care of the home he was trying to build. She was proud of him, and had helped him throughout it all. Only recently she had started going on runs with Daryl, which was fine with the both of them, now that they had more people to help out. Her priority after Andrea's death was Rick. Rick dealing with Carl being upset, Rick still dealing with Lori...it was important for her to be there for him. Rick of course appreciated it to the extreme. He thanked her constantly, and was often by her side. Many people who had come to the prison had assumed that she and Rick were a couple rather than she and Daryl.

He did not take kindly to that.

Mind, Daryl had certainly become the idol of many of the people here. Not that she could blame them, he and Rick were the go to people in the group. Well, so was she for that matter. Every time one of them had a problem they weren't sure how to take to Daryl or Rick, they came to her and she passed on the message. Everyone knew that Ariel had a way with both of them.

Even now, she was making breakfast for them, and she saw Daryl walking up to her and everyone was greeting him like he was a celebrity. Ariel grinned from her spot behind the counter they had made, the pots and pans looming over her head.

"Hey," he kissed her over the counter, lightly. She liked it when he did things like that. She remembered at the beginning, when even holding her hand was an effort, and now kissing her in public had become so routine for him. She loved him so much. "Smells good." he leaned on the counter.

"Just so you know, I liked you first." she teased.

"Yeah I know." he grinned, taking some food and putting it into his mouth. Thank God he ate now, he had started out with making sure that everyone got food before he did, which was an act of chivalry, maybe, but he had lost some weight because of it. Ariel had given him a proper scolding.

"Hungry?" she asked with a grin.

"Well you tired me out this morning." he admitted. "Didn't think it'd get so out of hand..."

"We should really find a place away from everyone." she admitted. "The way Glenn and Maggie do."

Daryl snorted. "I'm old; I can't get it up like Glenn can."

Ariel titled her head, smiling as she bit her lip. "I _beg_ to differ."

Daryl grinned and leaned over the counter again, kissing her. He tasted like bacon. "You know I like it when you beg."

"Asshole."

He grinned again. "What'd you wanna show me?"

"Oh, right." she looked over at Patrick, a young boy with glasses and a kind face. "Hey, Patrick, take over for me? I need a moment." she motioned to Daryl.

Patrick was her favorite little fan boy, mostly because he looked at Ariel and Daryl like they were king and queen. Daryl was the man he was striving to be, and he made it very clear to everyone around him that his future wife would be someone like Ariel. At first, they thought it was just funny, but the word went around the prison and a lot of people started actively talking about how "cute" their relationship was. Ariel wondered why it was any different from Glenn and Maggie or Karen and Tyresse or even Beth and her new boyfriend. She supposed though it was because Daryl was her opposite in a lot of ways, to outsiders anyway. On the inside they were both very damaged people who found each other in a damaged world. Thankfully, they did not love each other because of their brokenness. They had fixed each other.

"Yes, ma'am." he looked absolutely honoured for the offer. "Mr. Dixon," he went around to Daryl as Ariel came to stand next to him. "I just wanted to thank you for bringing that deer back yesterday. It was a real treat, sir. And I'd be honored to shake your hand."

Ariel tried not to laugh and looked at Daryl who purposely licked every one of his fingers before harshly grabbing Patrick's hand and shaking it. The boy however, still looked positively pleased.

Ariel shook her head and laughed tapping the small of his back so they could be on their way. Normally she would have grabbed his hand, but Daryl was happily eating and she wanted it to stay that way. They walked along until they got a good view of the fences, Ariel crossing her arms while Daryl ate and looked around.

"About today, I don't know if we're going to be able to spare a lot of people for the run." she told him.

"That place is good to go. We're going to move on it."

"Yeah," she frowned. "The thing is, we had a pretty big buildup overnight. Dozens more towards tower three. It's getting as bad as last month. They don't spread out anymore.

"With more of us sitting here, we're drawing more of them out. You get enough of those damn fence-clingers, they start to herd up."

"Pushing against the fences again. It's manageable, but unless we get ahead of it, not for long." she looked back at him. "Sorry, hot stuff."

He grinned and nudged her lightly, kissing her cheek. "You gonna come when we go?" he asked.

"Yeah, I could use the run." she said. "Is that alright with you?"

"Fine by me, check with Rick." he shrugged. "You know I don't mind havin' you there."

"Aw, and yet," she turned on her heels so she could face him while he finished eating. "Once upon a time you hated having me there."

"Yeah well," he kissed her lips again, he was awfully affectionate this morning. "Once upon a time, I was a dick."

"You're so poetic." she scrunched up her nose, and he kissed her there too.

* * *

"Rick," Ariel walked down to him in the gardens. Hershel was going to make his way down there soon, and Ariel wanted to get to him before Hershel did.

When he got up and looked at her, he looked at her the way she used to look at him. Not that she still didn't love him, or thought of him with the same high respect that she had first met him, because she most certainly did. But she supposed somewhere, perhaps around when Lori died, the change in roles must have shifted, because now it was Rick who looked like her like she was the sun.

But to her, it would always be Rick who was a God. Gods made mistakes, which was one thing that the myth stories always told them.

"Hey," he said, kissing her cheek. "How are you?"

"I'm good," she patted his back. "Listen, it's up to you, for what you want me to do today. I can stay here, or go on the run with Daryl."

Rick shook his head. "You know I don't make those decisions anymore."

"I'm not asking you to make a decision on the part of a council." she said kindly. "I'm asking you what you need today."

Rick looked away for a moment, hesitant. "Do they have enough on the run?"

She would not lie to him. "I think they can take it." As much as she wanted the excitement of a run with Daryl, she touched Rick's back again. "You want me to stay here?"

He nodded. "I'm sorry. I just...there's still stuff to do..." he said. "When you or Daryl is gone, I like having one of you here. Makes this place just a little safer."

"Rick, you don't need to apologize. I told you since I met you, I'll follow you. If you want me to stay today, I'll stay."

"Thank you."

* * *

"Hey," Ariel walked up to Daryl as he was loading the truck. He shut the door and turned to face her, leaning against it looking like a southern model for a truck magazine. "Listen, I'm going to stay behind today, help with the fences and stuff."

Daryl did not seem bothered. "Alright," he pushed himself off the truck. "I'll see you when we get back."

"Stay safe." she kissed him.

"Always."

* * *

Ariel was not too fond of the way her day was progressing. Had she known that Rick was going to go off on his own, she would had most definitely went with him to keep an eye on him, especially considering that he had stopped bringing his gun with him on small adventures outside the prison. She hated that, but she usually went with him, or sent Daryl around behind his back to make sure things worked out okay.

He must have done it on purpose not to tell her, and also to have her stay back from the run with Daryl and the others. Smart man that Rick Grimes, she had to hand it to him.

"Hey," Maggie walked up to her. "You look pissed."

"I mother fucking am." she snapped, pushing her crowbar into the head of the walkers. She was killing them one by one at the fence, wearing a stupid apron to go along with her stupid job.

"What's wrong?" Maggie asked, picking up one herself and starting to help.

"Rick is out there." she snapped, killing another one. "And Daryl is out there, and I am stuck here, killing a bunch of useless assholes."

Maggie grinned. "Don't be mad at Rick."

"Seriously? You're a woman, isn't there a code or something that you're supposed to be on my side?"

"Rick loves you." she told her. "You and I both know more than the new people that he loves you and he needs you."

"I know he does," she sighed. "But he's not weak either. And if he wants me to stay behind he could just ask, instead of tricking me."

"He knew you'd bust him about the gun." she said easily. "He knows you."

"Well I'm not wrong." she snapped.

"So is that why you're mad, really?" Maggie asked, stepping away from the fence. "Is this about him being out there without protection."

"Of course it is." she stepped back as well. "I could give two shits about me being here, I'm happy to help with anything or anyone that needs it. But him being out there with just a stupid knife...it doesn't sit right with me."

"It doesn't sit right with anyone." she frowned. "But he doesn't mean to hurt you, I don't even think he knows you're hurting."

"I know." Ariel sighed. "It's not like I could stay mad at him anyway."

Maggie grinned. "No argument there."

Ariel looked at her. "You know, Glenn wouldn't like you being here." she said.

Maggie shrugged. "Well, that's too bad." but then she sighed and started walking away from the fence with Ariel. "I'm not pregnant."

Ariel wound their arms together. "Is that a good thing?"

"I guess so." she shrugged. "I kind of wanted one..."

"Even with Lori?"

"Especially because of Lori." she said. "She didn't care, she and Rick wanted that baby and they had it."

"Lori's dead, Maggie."

"We're all going to die one day, eventually. But why shouldn't I try to live my life." she looked at her again. "You're telling me if you had a chance to have kids with Daryl, you wouldn't take it?"

Ariel frowned. "That is a valid point."

"Ariel!" said a voice.

Ariel looked up and saw Carl walking up to her, looking halfway between being very angry and very confused. Maggie smiled at her and walked away, leaving her to it. She stood and watched him come, looking like he wasn't sure whether to tell her whatever it was he wanted to say to her.

"What's up Carl?"

"Um..." he sighed, skipping between his feet. "Beth..."

Ariel grinned. "I thought you got over that crush."

He grinned a little too. "It's not about that, and I am." he sighed. "Beth is teaching the kids how to use weapons...she told me not to tell my dad. So..."

"So you're telling me." she nodded. "I get it."

"What do we do?"

"I'll take care of it." she clapped his shoulder. Although she could not say whether or not she was certain that she would. She sighed and put her arm around her shoulders. "Don't worry about a thing."

"Alright." he said, nodding. He trusted her, so she felt a little bad, wondering about if she would actually do anything. "I have to go do my chores."

"Okay." she watched him walk away, running a hand through her hair. Jesus Christ. She couldn't stop Beth from doing that. Girl had grown up quite a bit since everything...why shouldn't the kids know how to do these things? They had to survive anyway, right? Beth was doing a good thing for them. She was owning up, helping, and even growing herself. This was not the same Beth anymore, from when Ariel had first met them. Hell, none of them were the same. That was why Beth was doing the right thing.

Whether or not she would tell Rick...

* * *

When both Daryl and Rick had returned to her, as Maggie had said, on seeing Rick she had not gotten mad at him. He looked like he had seen a ghost so she had taken his hug and his kiss and let him go inside. When Daryl had came back to her from the prison, she was sad to see he had arrived a man down. A man who happened to be Beth's boyfriend, Zack.

"I'm gonna go tell Beth." he murmured.

"I'll be here." she said, looking at the fences. She had spent a lot of time out here today.

"Meet you back here?" he sighed, his long day having gotten the better of him.

"Yeah babe." she nodded, moving his hair. "I'm sure you did everything you could."

He shrugged, kissing her softly, sadly. "Apparently not everythin'," then when he saw Ariel's face fall a little, he shook his head. "It's okay, it's alright. Honest. I'll just be a few minutes."

"Okay." she caressed his face. "Is it wrong to say that I'd trade a thousand people for you?"

He tapped his forehead against hers. "Nah," he whispered. "Cause I'd do the same for you." he kissed her forehead and walked away, looking at her for a moment by turning his head before finally walking away completely, a man with a mission. She should have gone with him, maybe, to help him talk to Beth, but she didn't want to be there. Maybe that was selfish of her, but she didn't want to deal with it. They had a month without deaths, without accidents, and right now, she just wanted to keep this small moment of peace.

And then, ever so lightly, her peace was broken.

Because in the midst of those walkers, three people, three alive human beings were running up to the prison. A girl, a muscular man with fiery red hair and a guy with a black mullet.


	31. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30-**

"Rick," Ariel said with a sigh of relief. "Hey."

"Hey," he frowned, walking up to her. He was staring at the newcomers, who Ariel had allowed entrance to the prison grounds but not yet into the building. Rick apparently had the most perfect timing, and had decided to roam about the grounds once more before returning back to his cell. He looked worried when he saw her, but after looking over Ariel and seeing no harm had been done to her, he relaxed at least a little.

"Who's this?"

"Um, this is Eugene, Abraham and Rosita." she said. "I asked your questions, they seem fine." she said quickly. "But none of that matters."

"Oh?" he raised his eyebrow.

Abraham got up and held it out to Rick. "She told me that you were the man to talk to about our staying here for a few days."

"A few days?" Rick frowned, crossing his arms. "Why not for longer?"

"We are on a mission to bring Eugene to Washington D.C." he said, giving Rick a look of shock. "He has a cure for this unfortunate spread of disease."

"How do you know?" Rick asked. "That is a mighty big claim."

"It is true," Abraham assured him. "Because it worked on me." he said. "I got bit," he went down to show Rick a bite on his leg, bringing up the sleeve of his pants. "Eugene has a cure, but he cannot reproduce it without the proper technology."

Rick shook his head. "What even makes you think that Washington will have that kind of technology?"

"Well, walking around the forests of Georgia isn't getting us anywhere." Abraham said. "So we decided to try anyway. All we ask is that we rest here for a few days, because we need to rest up. We've had some trying days."

"We all have." Rick murmured, but then he nodded. "Alright, if you want to stay, you can." he looked at Ariel. "It's okay, with you?"

"Yeah, they answered your questions fine." she told him, patting his arm.

"Right," Rick nodded. "Daryl's waiting for you." he said. "I'll bring them to a cell. You go on, it's alright."

"Thanks." she nodded, patting his shoulder.

She walked back to the prison, but then found herself thinking that walking to him was taking too long. Her mind was filled now; she had to tell Daryl about these people. It was so much, that these men actually had a _cure_. She knew Rick was going to ask what it was, like she had done before he had come out to her. It was not much, the cure, it was a tiny bottle of blood, one vial worth, but if they could understand what was in the blood, and see what made the blood type different from the rest, then there would be a way to recreate it. There had to be.

Ariel was even hoping to convince Rick to follow them to Washington. She thought about it all the way back to her cell, but a bigger part of her knew that Rick would not make the sacrifice of leaving the prison unless absolutely necessary. But this was necessary, wasn't it? This was something worth making a sacrifice for.

Ariel didn't know whose blood it was, she hadn't bothered to ask. She only cared about that blood getting duplicated, or finding someone who carried the same kind of blood type that was in that vial. Ariel didn't know how any of it would be able to get done, but the only thing she cared about was that there was a cure, a way to make this stinking piece of shit of a world end. And then she and Daryl could actually have the life they want. It was all in their grasp now.

"Hey," he said as she came in. "I was just about to climb in." he said.

"I need to talk to you." she walked forward to him and put her hands on his chest. "It's important."

"What's wrong?" he sat down on the bunk with her.

Ariel told him quickly, everything and watched his face never change all the while. He sat there, taking it all in, chewing the inside of his lip. He was looking at her from under his lashes, contemplating it all. When she finished, breathing heavily, he took her hand and kissed it lightly.

"What do we do?" he asked, shaking his head. "Rick say anythin'?"

"No." she said. "I think he wants to think. They asked me, before he came if we wanted to go with him."

"What did you say?"

"I said Rick makes the decisions."

Daryl bit his lip. "Except he doesn't always, anymore..." he shook his head. "Maybe we shouldn't think about it for now..." he shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck. "Let's sleep."

"Daryl, this is a cure we are talking about."

"I hear you." he said, kissing her softly. "But right now, we need to sleep. Because if Rick decides we're going to follow them to Washington, we're gonna need to enjoy these last days with beds."

She stopped him from leaning back, looking at him sadly. "What if he says no?"

"Then we stay here." he told her. "You and I, we're with Rick."

Ariel nodded, because it was true. There was nothing more to say. Daryl moved to the side, his back up against the wall and waited for her to curl up with him. Once she did, he fell asleep rather quickly, but Ariel was up for most of the night.

* * *

It was gunshots that woke them.

"Jesus Christ," Ariel fell out of bed, Daryl following suit but quickly grabbing his crossbow. He grabbed her knife from the floor and threw it at her, and thank god she caught it by the handle. Thank God even that they hadn't had sex last night and they were already dressed. Her first thought: _Rick_. Her second thought: _Rick didn't have a gun. _Her third: _What if the newbies shot Rick?_

But as she ran with Daryl, Sasha and Tyresse, she noticed that Rick was not in his cell and neither was Carl, which only meant that they were safe. Which means that the shots came from the other cell block. They ran quickly, Ariel right by Daryl; she contemplated running faster, but her brain held her legs back, keeping her at a pace with Daryl. When they reached outside, Rick had just sent Carl off, and was yelling to them for information. The newcomers were nearby, all three of them with their guns out, ready to help.

"It ain't a breach!" Daryl told Rick.

Sasha called out, "We followed the plan!"

Rick ran after them, gunless but at least with his knife. Ariel and the others ran quickly to cell block C, where Daryl quickly handed Rick a gun the moment that he called out for him. Ariel was thankful for that, because right now, no matter how much Rick didn't want to, he was going to have to pull those triggers.

Rick was helping people leave though, instead of immediately going for the walkers. Ariel followed Daryl own the rows, stabbing a walker in the head as he grabbed a kid and handed him off to one of the prisoners. He was sending his arrows out while Ariel nodded once at him before going to one of men who had fallen by a scratch, bringing him into the cell block. Her heart was beating rapidly, not being near Rick or Daryl, but she had to try and take care of the mess that was happening in front of her. But the noise had died down, for which she was thankful, and when she heard the faint noise of the crossbow going off in the distance, she knew that Daryl was okay. If Daryl was okay, and quiet, it meant Rick was good too. There would be uproar had something happened to Rick Grimes.

"It's happening, isn't it?" Ryan, the man she was taking care of asked. She was doing what she could, to stop bleeding in the places he had been injured, but there was too much, and not enough she could do. This was why they needed a cure, to stop things like this from happening. To stop all the death, all the destruction.

"You're in shock," Ariel lied easily. "Just lay back."

"My girls." Ryan breathed. "You care about them; you care about everyone in here. You're good to them. Can you look out for them?"

"Yes." she lied again. Because she could not look after children anymore, not in the way that mothers did. She had lost Sophia, and God she was no good at taking care of anyone besides Rick and Daryl. She would do her best, and she would look out for them, but Beth would care for them. She was becoming so good at this. Ariel almost smiled, once this cure made its way to everyone, once they made it to Washington, maybe Beth could be a mom.

"Can I say goodbye?" he asked.

Ariel kept her tears in check. "Of course." she turned her head back to Lizzie and Mica. "Girls, come on." she held out her hand, and the crying children came forward.

Daryl was in the doorway now, staring at them. He had his arms crossed and was staring at Ariel who had her knife out, ready to take care of Ryan. He came in the cell and put a hand on her shoulder as the children cried. "Ii can do it if you want." he whispered.

"No, it's okay." she wiped away a tear that escaped. "Just take the kids outside?"

"Don't you wanna see Rick?" he asked softly.

"I need to do this." she kissed his cheek. "Okay, go."

So the kids followed Daryl outside the cell, and left Ariel alone with the dying man. She stared at her knife and took a deep breath.

* * *

"Patrick was fine yesterday, and he died overnight." Ariel shook her head, rubbing her hand on her forehead. "Two people died that quick? We'll have to separate everyone that's been exposed." she said, looking around the table at the council.

Daryl was sitting right next to her, his chair turned around so his arms could rest on the front of it. "That's everyone in that cell block. That's all of us. Maybe more."

"We know that this sickness can be lethal." Hershel said. "We don't know how easily it spreads. Is anyone else showing symptoms that we know of?"

Ariel shrugged. "We can't wait and see, there's children. It isn't just the illness. If people die, they become a threat."

"We need a place for them to go." Hershel nodded. "They can't' stay in D. We can't risk going in there to clean it up."

"We can use cell block A."

"Death row?" Glenn asked. "I'm not sure that's much of an upgrade."

"It's clean," Daryl murmured. "That's an upgrade. Think that'll work for Dr. S?"

"I'll help Caleb get it set up." Hershel said.

"There's something else." Ariel said, crossing her arms. "The new people who came in last night."

"New people?" Hershel asked.

"Yeah," Ariel murmured. She looked at Daryl who gave her an encouraging nod. "They um, one of them is from the army, the other is a scientist. They have a cure."

Sasha's eyes grew wide. "We need to get it to the sick people."

"It's not enough," Ariel said sadly. "It's a vial of blood, enough for one person, but not for all of us. They had some and used it on their friend who was bit, and now he's fine. They need to get to Washington, and are staying here until they get their energy back."

"Were they in there today?" Glenn asked.

"No." Ariel said thankfully. "I'm telling you guys, but please, don't tell the others."

Hershel nodded, and looked around the table making everyone else did the same. When they heard someone coughing, Daryl's hand shot out to Ariel's knee and he tapped it lightly. They all got up from the table, Daryl with his crossbow ready, to come out to the hall and see Karen coughing, Tyresse with his arm around her shoulders.

"You okay?" Ariel heard him ask, as she wove her way out to the hall.

"Mm-hmm." was her answer.

"You sure? You don't sound so good."

"We're just taking her back to my cell so she can rest." Tyresse said.

"Tyreese, I don't think that's a good idea." Hershel said as the others came out.

"Why, what's going on now?" Karen asked.

"We think it's flu or something." Glenn said. "That's how Patrick died."

"Judith was in that cell block." Hershel said. "She's vulnerable. Anyone that may be sick or even exposed should stay away."

"It killed Patrick?" Karen asked.

"She's gonna be okay." Tyresse snapped. "Now that we know what Patrick died from we can treat it, right?"

"Don't panic," Hershel said. "We're going to figure this out. But we should keep you separated in the meantime. We'll have Caleb take a look at you. I'll see what we have in the way of medications."

"David," Karen said. "From the Decatur group, he's been coughing too."

"I'll get him." Glenn said. "There's some empty clean cells in the tombs right?"

When Sasha nodded, Ariel leaned against the wall and ignored the rest of them until they left. Daryl and Hershel were exchanging words, but she could not listen. Jesus Christ, they had lost so many people today, she had to kill someone's father, and she still hadn't seen Rick. Holy hell. What a god damn disaster.

When Hershel left, Daryl came up to Ariel and lifted her face, kissing her softly with both hands cupping her. "You all right?" he whispered.

"Yeah," she lied again. "I need to find Beth though. She has to take care of the kids."

Daryl frowned and bumped their foreheads together lightly. "He wanted you..."

"I can't," she breathed. "I know it's selfish but I can't. I can help, and I will, like I always do, but to watch them all the time? No, I did it once." she shrugged, coming undone. Daryl sighed sadly and pulled her in for a hug, kissing her hair.

"It's okay," he whispered. "It'll fix itself."

"Are you okay?" she whispered, tilting her head back. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah," he kissed her again. "I love you."

"Me too." she touched his face, committing it to her memory. God, he was so important to her it was ridiculous. "I'll help you with the bodies after I'm done with Beth."

"Alright." he nodded. "Just don't get to close to her."

"Yeah, don't worry."

* * *

"Rick," she breathed, and Rick walked right up to her and hugged her so hard she thought her breath would leave her. She hugged him back harshly, crying a little, she couldn't help it. After the stress of the day, she could not see what was more important than simply hugging Rick right now. His hands were bloody; Daryl had told her what had happened. How the fence was giving out, how Rick had to sacrifice the pigs...

"I'm so glad you're okay." he whispered, kissing her neck.

"I'm fine." she kissed him back. "Are you?"

"I miss her." he whispered. "I miss her so much right now."

Ariel felt her heart break. "It's okay." she murmured. "It's okay, I know."

"What do I do?" he leaned back. "Daryl said..."

"You need to make decisions now." she told him. "I know it's not what you want, but that's what has to happen, at least for some things."

"Like what?" he asked tiredly.

"Like what to do about Washington. Whether we go or not."

"We have sick people right now, we can't go now."

"I know." she said. "But with these sick people, the Abraham is only going to want to leave sooner." she pressed. "You need to decide how you want to play this out. Beth is going to take care of Judith and the kids."

"They were maybe infected," she shook her head.

"I know." Ariel said. "I'll be helping. It's more of to talk to them from a distance, and when they get better Beth will take over. And Rick, Beth has been teaching them to use knives." he saw his face tense and Ariel continued quickly. "Let her continue. She's doing something good."

Rick nodded. "Okay, I'll take care of it."

"Rick!" Hershel said, coming up to them. Ariel turned to face them, frowning since Hershel looked incredibly solemn. "We have a problem."

"What now?" Rick asked.

Hershel looked beyond stressed. "It's Karen."

"What about her?"

"She's asking to die."


	32. Chapter 31

**redangel2463: im glad you enjoy the twists so far, there is more coming your way!**

**msgemgem: im very glad you did not like ariel in the last chapter, that was my partial intention. However, it is not her "true colors" has you suggested. The point of this world is that you see people make bad decisions sometimes, based on their own emotions that get in the way of them choosing the right paths. You will see why, in this chapter, I had her make those decisions. You have to remember that in the apocalypse, characters do not always think logically. Just like in the show, all the characters, including Rick have made decisions that did not benefit others all the time. So, I'm glad you received some annoyance out of Ariel, but you should also remember in the previous chapter, that she was not going to encourage people to follow her, she said she would go with what Rick said. That is her true nature, following Rick. It makes me sad that you hated her just from one chapter, but I hope that you understand where she is coming from with this one. **

* * *

**Chapter 31-**

"Ariel," Hershel stopped her from walking ahead with Rick. "I was wondering if you could stay behind for a moment. Let Rick speak to Karen with Tyresse, alone."

Ariel looked to Rick for confirmation, but he seemed hesitant. Ariel had to give him an encouraging nod before he left her, and Ariel and the old farmer walked to a bench to sit down.

"What's up Hershel?"

"Daryl told me about everything," he said in that old, wise voice of his. "About your feelings of going to Washington, giving the children off to Beth..." he tilted his head sideways to look at her, and then grabbed her hand affectionately. "That doesn't sound like you at all, my dear." It stung a little that Daryl had not confronted her about his feelings, but instead went to Hershel. Although, she kind of understood it on the other hand, she and Daryl had lost the sense of arguing lately and mostly went along with what the other said. Maybe he didn't want to fall into that familiar pattern.

Ariel smiled sadly and shrugged. "I'm not good for the kids, Hershel."

"You are great with them, Judith especially."

She shook her head. "You know, Sophia wasn't mine, but I made a promise to her to keep her safe. I wasn't able to keep that promise, I got her killed."

"What happened to Sophia was not your fault."

"She died and I made a promise." she repeated. "I promised the girls' dad that I would take care of them, and I will, until we get this sickness under control, but then Beth will take over. I already spoke to her about it, and she's okay with it. She likes it, being with the kids, instead of fighting. She's good at it." Ariel shrugged again. "Maybe there's a reason why I'm not a mom, maybe I'm just not good with children."

"Judith loves you, so do those girls."

"Something is going to happen to them one day if they stay with me." she snapped. "I can't be held responsible."

"Something is going to happen to everyone." Hershel patted her knee.

"Not if that cure gets to Washington."

Hershel nodded. "You want to go."

"I think it would be helpful." but then she sighed. "But my heart is with Rick, and if he wants to stay, I can't leave him behind."

"You asked him to make a decision?"

"I did, and I know he will choose to stay, we worked too hard for this place." she smiled sadly. "I just thought it would be good to go, more people protecting the cure the better."

"You are not wrong." Hershel said softly. "But like you said, Rick will not want to go. And we have too many people here, now sick people and they cannot make the travel."

"I know, and I would never ask them too, especially now."

"If it had been before," Hershel said. "If it had been after the farm, maybe it would have worked."

"Yeah." Ariel said sadly.

* * *

When Ariel wandered back to her cell block that night, Daryl was already resting. She knew he wasn't sleeping though because he was tapping his fingers on his stomach, with his eyes closed leisurely. He was waiting for her. For a moment, she decided to lean by the doorway and just look at him. Once again, today had been a very long day, and she had barely even seen him. She had been dealing with her feelings all day, trying to help fix the fences and then calming Rick down enough to understand what had happened with Karen.

What a disaster.

Karen had gotten really bad really fast, and not to mention the outbreak had hit another six people since it started. Karen and another man, David were the worst off though, and Karen had enough of it. There was nothing to take the pain away, and she was going to die anyway. So she asked for it, and Tyresse, poor Tyresse was the one who decided to follow through with killing her. And then not but moments later, his poor sister was coughing up. This man was just not getting a break, but mind, none of them did.

Rick had been a disaster from the whole thing too. He missed his wife a lot, he missed his little baby girl...Ariel didn't know what to do about it. Quite frankly there was nothing for her to do. Karen was dead now; Tyresse as depressed as ever, and Abraham, Eugene and Rosita were already making their plans to leave before this sickness got out of hand. Ariel had spoken with them a bit during the day; they had kept distance from her, but heightened their voices across the ways at the fences, aiding her. They were nice enough, these people, and Abraham had mentioned that they would leave after the run.

Ariel didn't know what run they were talking about, which is what led her back to the cell.

She finally walked over to Daryl and sat on the floor, putting her hand over his. His fingers stopped tapping and he opened his eyes, turning his head and moving back on the bunk. She got up and crawled on, but didn't curl up with him. She lied on her side so she could look at him, their hands curled together in the middle of their bodies.

"You were upset with me." she said quietly.

"Not upset," he sighed. "I just didn't understand."

"Which part?"

"All of it. The kids, Washington, none of it was like you."

"I was going to help them, I already did today, I got Lizzie to stop crying and everything." but when she felt the panic in her voice, the way she was trying so hard to convince him, she sighed sadly. "Am I a bad person?"

"No," he kissed her hands. "We all make decisions sometimes without thinkin'. But Beth doesn't mind, takin' over when we're all in the clear, so that's somethin'."

"But you think I should stick with them."

Daryl shrugged. "Think you're gonna get attached anyway, and it's gonna be you who comes out with a broken heart if you just ship them off to Beth."

Ariel frowned. "I let Sophia down."

"You always told me, every time somethin' bad happened that it was never my fault. Even with Rick, you always showed him a way. Christ, every time it comes to you, you have to blame yourself. With Sophia, with Lori...we live in a god damn shitty world and the things that happened are not your fault. This is a sickness, has nothin' to do with you."

"So, stick with the kids."

"No." Daryl said. "You stick with me, and Rick, like you've always done. If the kids need you, they'll come to you. They are safe here, inside this prison, it's not like how it was with Sophia, out on the run, you havin' to watch her every damn move. It's different now, and if they need you, they'll come to you."

Ariel touched Daryl's face lightly. "What would I do without you?"

He smiled, and then hesitated before he reached the other conversation. "I spoke to Rick, about Washington."

"We aren't going to go." Ariel said with a nod. "I know. I knew he was going to say no before I even told him."

"You okay with that?"

"Honestly?" she sighed. "No, I'm not. But I have always followed Rick, and I'm not going to go on a shit storm because of one decision I don't like. Besides, at least he's making decisions now, that's something."

"Yeah," Daryl nodded, chewing his lip. "He might take time, but he steps up when shit hits the fan."

"He always has." she agreed. They were quiet for a bit, just staring into each other's eyes and holding hands. Ariel was so tired, mentally and physically. She didn't feel sick, she felt okay, but her body ached and her joints screamed. There was so much happening, after such a long period of peace, and it had taken a toll on all of them. "You should have told me you were sad." Ariel murmured. "Instead of having Hershel tell me."

"I'm sorry." he said immediately. "I just wanted you to hear it from someone else too. Not just me, or Rick."

Ariel shrugged. "I'm not mad, and you don't need to be sorry. I just hope you know that you can always come to me, with anything."

"I know, I do, honest."

"Good."

"Hey," he kissed her hands. "We're going on a run tomorrow. You, me, Michonne, Bob, Abraham offered to come with us too so I took him up on it."

"I thought I was supposed to look after the kids." she teased.

"Like I said, they'll be okay here. When they need you, they can just ask. Besides, Lizzie ain't too much younger than Carl, she can take care of herself."

"Honestly," Ariel sighed. "She doesn't seem too concerned that her dad even died. She kept wailing on about the walker she named outside the fence."

"She's just messed up probably, after everythin'," he suggested. "What about Mica, how's she doin'?"

"Tough little cookie, they cried but now...I don't know, when I saw them, they seemed okay."

"There," he grinned a little. "See, you can come with us on the run tomorrow."

Ariel nodded for a moment but then sighed and shook her head. "No."

"What?"

"You said it wasn't like me, these decisions I was making." she told him. "And you're right. So tomorrow I'm going to help with the kids, and help Hershel with the sick. I was a nurse, I can do something for these people."

Daryl grinned wide, and then he laughed a little before he kissed her hands. "I was hoping you would say that."

"Are you kidding me?" she grinned, flicking his nose. "You planned this?"

"Hell yeah I did." he chuckled. "I knew you'd come around to your senses, just had to pull at those heart strings of yours."

"You're a jerk."

"Ah, you love me."

"For some God unknown reason, yes, I do." she leaned forward to kiss him lightly. "Will you guys be okay without me on the run tomorrow."

"Yeah, we're still four people. Abraham was in the army, and he's been cured which makes me think that he can't be affected by it anymore. So, he's an advantage."

"Alright," she said. "I'll see you off tomorrow."

Their cell block door opened, and Ariel's heart leaped a little. She got up and turned around but smiled when she saw Rick standing there. He was looking very tired and worn, walking in almost like a zombie himself, pinching the bridge of his nose with his eyes closed. Daryl got up too when he realised Rick was doing that. Rick did that when he was either crying or trying not to cry.

"I need to say something." he said.

"Rick." Ariel held out her hand. "Sit down."

He took it and held it so tight that one of Ariel's fingers cracked. Daryl scooted over so he was sitting behind Ariel, Rick next to them. He sat so one of his legs was on the bed and the other on the ground, so he could face them properly. When he removed his hands from his face after a few seconds of steady breathing, he looked at them with tears in his eyes.

"I know you hate me," he began.

"Rick, what−"

"No, I need to say this." he snapped, but not in an angry sort of way to her, more like he was angry at himself for being in this state. "I know you hate me right now for deciding to not go to Washington but we can't go. It would have been different before all this, before any of it. But I have to think of my family, and that includes you two. Judith cannot be on the road, not yet, she's too young, and we fought so hard for this place. I lost my wife because of..."

"Rick," Ariel whispered, touching his face tenderly. "Rick I do not hate you. You made the right decision."

"W-what?"

"I was distracted," she admitted. "From the moment I heard the word cure, all I could think about was Beth and Maggie being mothers, you having a big house, me and Daryl living next door, Hershel and grand children...I could only see those things."

"We can still...we can still get those things. We just have to wait it out."

"Hey," Ariel said, squeezing his hand. "Listen to me, I was not angry with you, I never was. It's not the decision that bothers me, it is the state we are in now. I hate it. But Christ, Rick I could never hate you."

Daryl agreed, reaching around to hold Rick's shoulder. "Anyone who hates you doesn't have their head screwed on right." Daryl patted him. "We're with you Rick, we ain't never left you before, and we won't do it now."

"I've messed up, time and time again..." he began.

"Don't even go down that road man," Daryl advised him. "We've all made mistakes."

"And you have done more for us than anyone." she said. "You are a good man. And we will stay here, and I will help you get things in order tomorrow."

Rick sighed. "You're going to help with the kids?"

"I'm going to help with the kids." she smiled.

Rick sighed in relief. "They'll make it to Washington." he said. "We have to believe that."

"They will." Ariel agreed. "And we're going to all get the life that we deserve."


	33. Chapter 32

**This chapter has a big gap between this and the last, and there is also a huge plot twist. More coming up too, and the end is near. **

**Chapter 32-**

"It's okay," Ariel said, with Rick's arm over her neck. She was dragging him, sweating. "It's okay, you're okay." she walked through the cells with Carl, thankful that no one was around to see them doing this. Rick was not a light little feather either, dragging him was a pain in the ass, but the moment they were in the cell, she put him on the bed best she could and sobbed softly, "Rick, you have to wake up, please." she whispered.

But Rick didn't respond.

One of Ariel's biggest fears, besides losing Daryl, was losing Rick. Every dream she had about Daryl Dixon, she had about Rick Grimes. She dreamt of horrible things too, Rick becoming a walker, Rick being killed by a governor, Rick losing his children and then becoming even less of a man than he was when he lost Lori. Ariel loved Rick too much, and it burned her from the inside out, the same way it burned her for Daryl. Daryl though, she loved differently, but Rick was her brother, and what the hell was she supposed to do if he left her?

Every time she had those dreams, she woke up in a horrible sweat. Every time she had one of those dreams, she curled closer up to Daryl and breathed in his smell and tried to remember that everything was relatively okay.

So what did someone do when those nightmares came to life?

Daryl wasn't home, and Rick was dying; and it had all happened so fast, and Ariel didn't know how. She had barely seen any of it; she hadn't had a chance to digest it.

Ariel was a freaking disaster. Never mind that Daryl still wasn't home, which was a heart attack in itself, but everything that had been happening at the prison had only made things worse. Hershel, good old Hershel had asked her, between her helpings with the kids if she could help him with the sick and dying. Naturally, she had agreed, and for a while everything had gone relatively well.

But now everything had turned to complete and utter shit.

Hershel had almost died, and Rick had gone in and saved him. This, originally, had been a good idea. Honestly, it was better that Rick was really stepping up and taking control again, no matter how much he wanted to do otherwise.

For a moment, a brief moment, everything had been okay. Hershel had even managed to take care of himself, to get out of his predicament. But then Ariel had seen the worst of it, and her whole world had shattered around her.

Rick had been bit.

For a long time she had cried, she had carried Rick back to his cell and laid him down and locked herself up with him, Carl there too. She screamed and yelled, and punched the wall so hard that her fist was bleeding. Carl wrapped it for her as Rick lay unconscious on the cot. She closed her eyes for an hour and prayed, prayed harder than she ever had. She prayed for him to stay safe, to hope that Daryl would come home now, because he had to say goodbye to his brother.

This was Rick.

_Rick_.

What the hell were they going to do without Rick?

Carl was sitting on the floor with his hat in his hands, looking at his dad and still crying. Ariel was sitting next to him, looking at the bite on his neck. It wasn't too bad, the walker hadn't even been able to rip skin out or draw too much blood; it was simple teeth marks between his neck and shoulder. Then Ariel had shot it in the head.

Christ, she had been too late.

And now Rick was dying and it was all her fault. The guilt was so much in her that it made the whole thing worse, that she had been so traumatized by that walker getting to him that she had to deal with him dying now. Daryl would hate her, Carl would be alone and this group...

She thought about going to Eugene, and asking him for that vial, and as much as she wanted to point a gun to his head and force him to give her the vial, she knew that he wouldn't. This was a cure for the world; he would not give it up just for the sake of Rick Grimes. But he didn't understand, he didn't know the things Rick had done, and that he would do for people. If anyone deserved to be cured, to stay alive for this world, it was Rick.

Not that it would matter, because Eugene, Abraham and Rosita had left. They were long gone, left only a few hours before Hershel and them got attacked. Ariel hadn't been surprised, and honestly, she hadn't cared that they had gone either. But now, she wanted to hunt them down, get that stupid cure and shove it down Rick's throat.

What was she going to do? Ariel put her head in her hands and tried to regulate her breathing. What a god damn disaster. Where the fuck was Daryl? Why were they even dealing with this? Why were they stuck in this world, where these things happened and the people they loved died around them. This was not how things were supposed to be. This was...this was unfair.

"Ariel," Carl grabbed her knee harshly.

Ariel snapped out of her nowhere gaze and looked at Carl.

Carl was frowning. "He's waking up..." he said in disbelief.

"What?" she scrambled up with Carl and walked over to Rick, more tears spilling out. She kneeled by his bed and watched in fascination as Rick's breathing was abnormally normal (which was a weird paradox but there it was). She touched his forehead and put her hand to her mouth. "He doesn't even have a fever." And for a moment, she believed that God was on their side. Looking at Rick, looking at him being alive after everything made her think that even though they had been through hell and back, God wanted Rick to be alive. To stay alive.

"Dad?" Carl laughed through his tears.

Rick's eyes fluttered open, his beautiful blue eyes looking at his friend and his son. He touched his neck and hissed a little, but he was otherwise fine. He sat up slowly, Ariel and Carl helping him, and then hugged them both.

"What the hell is happening?" he whispered.

Ariel pulled back and kissed his forehead. "I have no idea." she whispered. But in the back of her mind, Ariel was already ten steps ahead of this conversation.

If Rick couldn't be affected by the bite of a walker then that meant his blood matched the vial that Eugene had. Which meant Rick's blood was a cure, which meant...

Thank God they didn't go to Washington.

Daryl really wanted to see Ariel really badly, but the moment he had returned from the run, Hershel had filled him in on all the terrifying events that he had missed. As much as he wanted to relieve himself with Ariel, emotionally and physically, he also knew that he needed to see Rick. The information he had received, that Rick had been scratched and _cured, _hell, that was insane. Hershel told him that they weren't telling the people of the prison what exactly had happened, and that Rick's scratches were from a mishap from weapons.

Good enough for Daryl.

"Hey," Daryl walked in, looking at the top bunk, where he saw Carl, exhausted and sleeping. He sat on Rick's bed, tapping his stomach. Rick was tired too, he could see it in his eyes, circles under them, and his smile not reaching his eyes.

"Hey, you okay?" Rick punched his knee lightly.

"Who cares." Daryl said, feeling tears in his eyes. He couldn't help it, he couldn't' stand this. That after everything, everything this man had been through, it had been Rick who had nearly died on him. He couldn't believe that he hadn't been infected, what a god damn miracle. "Rick, what the fuck."

"Yeah, I know." Rick murmured. He grinned a little. "You crying for me?"

"Shut up." He tapped Rick again. "Glad you're okay. I don't need you checkin' out on us."

"I'm not going anywhere." Rick said softly. "But Daryl, if I did,"

"No," Daryl snapped. "You ain't."

"I know," he whispered. "But if I do, if something happens to me, you need to take care of Carl and Judith."

"It ain't just me," Daryl said. "They have all of us."

"But you, you and Ariel," he whispered. "You guys would be good parents."

"_You're _a good parent," Daryl told him. "The best."

Rick nodded and sighed. "I got scratched." he said, shaking his head. "I got scratched and I'm alive."

"It's a miracle, and that's why you are gonna keep being a dad. They need you."

"I am alive," he agreed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I am alive and Lori is dead. I survive, over and over again, and Lori died. Everyone dies, but I get scratched and I survive." he whimpered, shaking his head.

Daryl didn't know what to do, so he took Rick's hand, which seemed to surprise the both of them. He held it tight and looked at Rick sadly. Rick, this strong, strong man was broken now. Well, he had been broken for a while, but now, this weird new guilt was going to settle in him, and Daryl did not know how to fix that. Deaths were easy to fix, people mourned, their family helped, but how did Daryl fix this?

So he didn't say anything, he just listened to Rick cry and held his hand until Rick fell asleep.

"Oh my God," Ariel cried, running up to Daryl when he showed his face in the cell. She buried his face in her neck, breathing out in an exhale with him. "Oh my God, you're back." And Ariel started to cry and she couldn't stop it. Daryl rubbed her back lovingly, his face in her neck, hugging her tightly.

"The run was horrible."

"Is everyone okay?" she kept caressing his hair, wondering how on earth this man belonged to her. God, she took him for granted. She should tell him more often how amazing he was, how he made her world so much better.

"Yeah." he pulled back a little and moved her hair, tucking it behind her ears. He held her face in his hands and kissed her lips softly. "I don't wanna be away from you anymore."

"What?" she asked, bringing him over to the bed. They sat on it, Daryl holding her hands. "What's wrong, hot stuff?"

"I'm tired," he said. "We almost all got killed, Bob all because he had to save a bottle of alcohol for himself. Almost beat the crap out of him, and the whole time all I could think of is how much my run would have been at least a little better is if you would have been there."

"I think it's good I wasn't, we had our hands full here." she said, though she appreciated his words nonetheless.

"I know what happened," he nodded. "I saw Rick."

"He's walking around?" she asked, a little annoyed. "He should be resting."

"No, Hershel told me when I came in. I went to go see him." he sighed. "He looks good." he mumbled, but he looked just as wary as she felt. "It's a good thing Abraham and them left."

"I know." she breathed. "Could you imagine what would have happened if they knew? They would have forced Rick to go with them."

"Convinced Rick." Daryl corrected her. "He would have gone."

"You think so?"

"I do," he mumbled. "Rick's that guy. The guy who would save the world if he knew he could."

"He didn't want to go with them."

"That was different," he said tiredly, leaning back. Ariel went with him and put her head on his shoulder, rubbing his thigh. "That was leaving the prison just to protect people he didn't know. If his blood is a cure..."

"It's different," she agreed sadly. "But that means Carl's blood..."

"And maybe Judith."

Ariel shook her head, wiping off an escaping tear. "Oh God," she whispered. "Jesus, I'm so tired."

"I know." he kissed the side of her head. "Me too."

**im sorry if it was shitty, but it was a filler chapter. next episode the governor arrives and the twists continue. i hope you guys enjoyed this**

also...HOW FUCKING AWESOME WAS THE TWD PRIEMERE! HOLY FUCKING SHIT. 


End file.
